Ghosts
by Your Regular Belle
Summary: When Effie Kensington stays at the museum one night, her life takes a better turn. Befriending the Pharaoh Ahkmenrah she reminds him what it is to be a father, but a ghost from long-ago - determined to repeat past events - threatens to destroy it all.
1. An Introduction

**Long review: **

Effie Kensington is used to being picked on, and is particularly vulnerable after the death of her parents, and her plunge into poverty. But when Nick Daley forces her to stay at the museum with him one night, her life takes a turn for the better, especially when she befriends the Pharaoh Akhmenrah, and reminds him what it is to be a father. But when an unwelcome ghost from his past and a new enemy to the museum makes a surprise appearance, Effie finds both the people she loves and her very own life on the line.

**This story takes place just after the first film. I will try and keep the characters as accurate as possible. I can't remember how old Nick was, for the record, but I think he could pass as eleven. **

**Thank you for reading.**

"Very good, Effie. You've clearly got a very good grasp of the subject." Mr. Dewan, the History head of department teacher noted, pleased, as she set down a test paper on Effie's desk. Effie picked it up and scanned through the questions and her answers, happy to see nice green ticks next to the majority of them. She flicked through the pages until she was at the last, and her gaze flicked to her grade marked at the bottom.

A +

Her freckled cheeks lifted in a bright smile, and her light ginger hair – pulled back into a ponytail – waved as she shook her head proudly, her chin held high. Tara Manesti, sitting a seat to the right, caught the manoeuvre, and her thin lips pressed together into a sneer.

"What'd you get, Tea Drinker? Another A plus, plus?"

"No, just one plus." Effie replied loftily, privately wishing her voice didn't sound so plummy and 'Queen's English.' It was a neon sign over her head, asking for her to be picked on.

"Geek." Tara hissed, her tone stained with jealously as she hid her own C – graded test flat against the desk. "It's only because the teachers feel sorry for you, you know. Cos' you're adopted and everything."

"I'm sure." Effie replied sarcastically, before filing her test away neatly and pushing her folder into her satchel, offering Tara Manesti and her attitude no more attention.

Effie Kensington was used to being picked on – what with her 'foreign' upbringing and clever mind. Even when she had lived back in Southampton, England, she had come across problems at her local comprehensive with her 'posh' accent and plain looks. Now that she lived in New York, nothing had really changed, aside from the fact that she was considered 'different' for being English full stop. Tara Manesti had had it in for her from day one, when she had made her look foolish in front of a group of her friends.

"History is so boring!" Effie had heard Tara complain in the corridor, surrounded by her loyal band of followers. "I mean, this year we're doing something really stupid about the 'futon' empire or whatever. I mean, who really gives a damn about Egypt anyway?"

Effie had laughed aloud, presuming the girl was joking, until she realised no body else had joined in.

"What's so funny?" Tara had demanded, her botchily made up eyes narrowing in distaste, as if Effie was nothing but a bad smell to her.

"I'm sorry, it's just, I though you were kidding when you mentioned the 'futon' empire." Effie had begun, laughing nervously. She took a step closer, unsure to get out of what she had started. Shakily, she rushed onwards. "I presume you meant the Ottoman Empire – and that originated from where Turkey would be, not Egypt, although I can see where you were confused, what with it sharing a name with furniture and all."

"Oh, way to go stupid!" One of the boys had taunted in Tara's direction, who flushed, humiliated.

"Yeah, everyone knows that!" Another girl had jeered, although Effie suspected that she hadn't known the mistake until it had been pointed out.

Tara, red faced and angry, attempted to brush off the situation with a few jibes at Effie's accent and appearance, until her group lost interest and began to talk about other things. But as she had backed away, Effie had seen the glint in Tara's eye, and realised that she had perhaps already ruined whatever chances she ever had at fitting in. Effie hadn't meant to offend anyone; she just couldn't help but correct people if she heard them makes mistakes. And she was never really patronising; she always strived to be helpful, but her classmates never seemed to see it that way. They thought she was showing off – rubbing her knowledge in their faces.

The sound of the bell ringing brought Effie back to the present, and she scooped her books into a pile, before packing them into her bag. Her stomach rumbled in complaint, and she was glad for the long afternoon at home stretching before her, as well as the imminent dinner cooked up by her culinary degree adopted mother.

"Remember guys, money for the field trip is in for tomorrow!" Mrs. Dewan called, and a few of the students remaining rolled their eyes and sighed in distaste. "Come on everyone, it's the Natural History Museum – it's interesting!"

"Right." Effie heard Tara drawl sarcastically, a few of her friends already cramped around her. Effie picked up her bag, slinging it over her shoulder.

"Effie, are you going to come along? To the museum?" Mrs. Dewan called after her, and she stopped by the door, looking back.

"Um, maybe. Perhaps not." She said hesitantly, shrugging her shoulders.

"You don't have to pay for lunch, you can bring your own." Mrs. Dewan pointed out quietly, her deep green eyes probing at Effie's face. "And if money is a problem, we can talk to Principal Sylvester about it-"

"It's alright. I'm fine." Effie interrupted quickly, backing out of the door with a forced smile, which she let slip from her face as soon as she was out of sight. The truth was, money _was _becoming a problem for Effie's new family, after her adopted father had been made redundant the year before. He hadn't been able to find a new job, and the strain of the situation was beginning to show in the family's bank numbers.

Having money problems was a situation very new to Effie, as her true family had been one of wealth and class. Her father had had a good position in the Labour Party* – earning a hefty amount each month – and her mother had been an heiress to large amounts of money. After they had died, her parents had left quite a large chunk of it to her, of course, but at eleven years old she couldn't touch it for another seven years at least.

"Hey, Tea Drinker! Where did you get your clothes from – your grandma?"

Tara's joke wasn't particularly funny, but her friends howled never the less. Effie sighed and looked down at what she was wearing – a checked tartan skirt, knee length of course, white knee socks, a brown cardigan over a plain cream blouse, and sensible brown patent leather shoes on her feet. She looked very Susan Pevensie from the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe film.

"Seriously, you look like you've stepped out of a British time warp." Tara went on, tossing her long brown hair over her shoulders. "All you need now are glasses and a World War Two gas mask." More laughing.

"I'm surprised, Tara." Effie replied, eyeing her attackers own clothing. (Indecently short skirt, plain blue t-shirt, flip flops…) "That you would even know what World War Two was, what with your C - - average in most of your classes."

Tara pursed her lips, painted of course with a colour that really didn't match her olive skin shake, and crossed her arms over her slightly chubby waist, in a manner that seemed too fake for an eleven year old. Her bottom lip stuck out slightly in a pout as she scrambled for something to say in return as Effie glided past, her attention elsewhere.

"Geek!" Tara settled for lamely, before sauntering off, her posse at her heels.

"How very original." Effie muttered to herself, before heading to her locker to collect her things. She scooped them into her bag, relieved that nothing had been stolen that day, and shut her locker with a bang.

"Hey, Effie." Rachel Monte called shyly from the locker beside her, her light blonde hair tucked neatly behind her ears.

"Hello Rachel. How are you?" Effie greeted the girl, pleased for the company. They weren't friends, exactly, but they both accepted one another's similar status's as the geeky, plain, and un-cool girls of the grade.

"I'm good. Look, I really need company tomorrow at the museum," Rachel began in a hurry, stuttering slightly as she spoke. "So if you need me to I could lend you the money, and you could pay me back later?"

"It's all right, really. I've got a bit of pocket money left that I can use. I'm definitely going to come."

"Oh good!" Rachel breathed a sigh of relief, her rather pretty face lighting up in glee. "I really didn't want to end up there on my own."

"Don't worry." Effie said absently as they approached the main entrance of the school, outside of which the buses were waiting. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye!" Rachel called, skipping off towards one of the buses as Effie prepared to walk, shifting her bag onto a more comfortable position on her back. She had been planning on buying some newer clothes with her pocket money, but Rachel's pleas had swayed her into spending it on the trip. She had never been to the Natural History Museum – In New York, at least - but had heard that it was definitely something. Nicky – a friendly boy in her grade whose father was the night guard - said it was anyway, and had offered to take her along one night. She had refused quickly, her knee-jerk reaction to being given anything when she knew she had nothing in return, and his disappointment had surprised her.

"It better be worth it, Nick." She murmured, scowling to herself, before setting off on the long walk home to Brooklyn.

*For those of you who don't know, the Labour Party is a political party in Great Britain, which the previous Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were the heads of.

**If you didn't realise, Effie is quite grown up for her age in both manner and speech. As for her appearance, picture Lindsay Lohan in the Parent trap, but a little paler and with fewer freckles. (You could even use the English Lindsay in it for the accent) **

**I don't know how the grade system works in America, so if anyone could tell me what grade you would be in if you were eleven that would be great. I'm guessing it wouldn't be high school though. What comes before that? I only know the English system, I'm afraid. **

**Reviews would be brilliant – even if you want to tell me that it's utter rubbish and not worth reading. I accept flames and fans alike. **

**Please, please, please review. Two reviews for another chapter!**

**RageRomania xxx**


	2. The Museum of Natural History

**Thank you, my lovely viewers, for the reviews. Shout outs at the bottom, and don't feel shy to review again!**

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Effie Kensington stood in a line behind her classmates on the pavement in front of the Museum of Natural History. The building was old, she could tell, with almost cathedral like architecture and big glass windows in yellow brick frames. She crossed her arms under her padded brown coat for warmth, cursing the thin material of her gloves. Her breath fogged out in front of her face as she stamped her feet, silently cursing God and teachers alike for the weather, and for the wait out in it.

"Come on, it's freezing!" A boy behind her complained, and Effie recognized the voice belonging to Nick Daley, the nice boy who often waved at her in the corridors, and occasionally sat with her and Rachel at lunch time.

"Can you not get us in through connections?" She joked, turning to face him, and his impish face lit up in recognition.

"Hey, Effie! How are you?" He beamed, leaving his friends to come and stand beside her. Effie gave him a sidelong look, her answer tinged with suspicion.

"Cold." She answered, her teeth chattering. "And you?"

"Confused at why you seem so hostile." He replied seriously, and she relaxed a little bit, laughing.

"Sorry, that's just me being suspicious as to why someone would leave their friends to talk to 'the Tea Drinker.'

"You are my friend." He replied, and Effie looked – and felt – taken aback.

"Oh! Well, excellent. I can add you to my Christmas card list."

"Alright everybody, let's go in!" Mrs. Dewan called from the front of the line, and a plume of icy breath steamed above the air the children as each of them sighed in relief. "Keep together, and you will be assigned into groups once you're inside."

They shuffled forwards and up the stairs into the museum, scrambling through the glass doors to get out of the cold. Once in the toasty lobby, the children began to strip off their layers, hanging coats, hats, and gloves on the assigned pegs.

"Here." Nick said, grabbing Effie's coat from her hands. "I'll hang it up for you."

"Thanks." She replied, her attention already drawn towards the colossal skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex mounted on a pedestal in the middle of the room. It was browned with age, and a few of the bones looked artificial, but it was in pristine condition otherwise. "Incredible." She breathed, reaching out a hand to touch its leg.

"I wouldn't touch Rexy if I were you." Nick warned suddenly, back at her side. She jumped, and looked over at him, her warm brown eyes innocently wide.

"I wasn't going to." She lied, and Nicky grinned.

"You so were. Buy watch it. Mr. McPhee will kill you. He's the curator, " He added as an afterthought, before nodding towards a short and tubby man with slicked back brown hair and ruddy pink cheeks. He carried and air of authority, and was looking towards the school group with a distinctly strained look on his face. Effie took one look at him, and snorted in disbelief.

"What is it?" Nick asked, as she began to giggle.

"Oh nothing really. He's just the spitting image of Ricky Gervais – an actor and funny man back home, you know him?"

"Huh." Nicky muttered, glancing over again. "Well I'd never thought of that before."

"Alright guys!" Mrs. Dewan raised her voice, clapping her hands together for attention. "You're going to be assigned into four groups. If your last name begins with A to G, you're going to start out in the African section with the nice Mr. McPhee over here. He will show you around, so stay with him and listen to him, okay?"

"I guess that's me." Nick said, glancing over at Effie with a wistful expression. "I'll see you later."

"Yes, bye." She replied absently, reading the bronze plaque underneath 'Rexy.'

"If you are from H to N, you go with this nice lady over here." Mrs. Dewan continued, and Effie looked over towards where she was gesturing. Her guide was pretty and stylish, with a sweet smile and warm eyes.

"Just call me Rebecca." The guide said as she motioned the children over, her soft brown curls a dark contrast to her pale complexion. Effie sauntered over slowly, reluctant to leave 'Rexy', and was disgusted to realise that she would be in the same group as Tara Manesti.

"Alright guys, we're going to start of in an Egyptian exhibit, where you will get the chance to see a real life mummy!" Rebecca announced with the right level of cheeriness, her cheeks flushed as if she were genuinely pleased to be trawling a group of half bored and ungrateful children around a museum.

"Is he all wrinkly and dead!" A boy known as Gus - or 'disGUSting' according to Tara, oh so creatively named after his love for all things dead and old - called from the front, his eyes gleaming at the prospect of seeing a human raisin. A few kids around him snickered and whispered teasingly. Rebecca gave him a funny look, before her bright smile re-plastered itself across her face.

"Um, I guess you could say that." She answered, before motioning for the group to follow her up a flight of ornate marble stairs, and down a long corridor decorated with various wax models depicting different historical scenes. The children began to slow, gaping at the models and laughing at some of the clothing and expressions. Rebecca ushered them onwards with promises of having a closer look later.

"The tour starts off in here." She explained, as she led them into a purposefully dimly lit exhibit, and Effie's eyes opened wide.

"Wow." She breathed, shivering at the sudden chill that enveloped her as she stepped into the room, the air around her practically buzzing as if charged. The exhibit was lined by colossal statues of what looked like Jackals, each one carrying a particularly deadly looking spear. Ancient Hieroglyphs were painted on stones and columns set against the walls, some sections looking as if they were the real deal themselves. At the end of the exhibit sat a bright and heavily ornate looking sarcophagus, the light glinting off the gold and silver carvings, studded with precious looking gems. Above the coffin and set into another ancient looking structure was what looked to Effie like a gold tablet of sorts, ancient words carved intricately and lovingly into the metal.

"It's something, isn't it?" Rebecca twinkled, noting Effie interest. She nodded wordlessly, her eyes wide, before motioning to the writing on the walls.

"Does it say anything," she asked curiously, resisting the temptation to touch, "or is just for design?"

"Yes, it does. It's an exact replica of the inscriptions found in King Ahkmenrah's tomb, in the Valley of the Kings." Rebecca explained, stepping over. "Obviously, most of it was too fragile to risk shipping over here, so we had copies made."

"Interesting." Effie answered, but not in jest. She remembered doing Ancient Egyptian history in Year Four* – when she was nine – and had regretted never having the opportunity to study it since.

"Okay guys, I'm going to let you have a little look around, and then I'll tell you a little bit about what's in here, alright?" Rebecca announced to the group, whilst keeping an eye of Effie. Rebecca had shown many school groups around the museum, and was normally always disappointed at the lack of interest displayed by the children. But Effie was different, she could tell, and that made her happier.

Effie started off by heading over towards the Sarcophagus, curious as to what the King would look like thousands of years after his death. She noted that Gus was already pressed against the glass over it, eyes wide, and guessed that it must be quite an interesting site.

"This is so cool!" Gus told her as she got closer, his blue eyes glittering with glee. Effie smiled at him kindly, before leaning over to get a look herself. It was hard to make out what she was seeing at first – the Pharaoh was ancient after all – with his wrinkled brown skin and protruding bones. Effie could just about make out his closed eyelids, complete with eyelashes, an aquiline nose, and a plump set of lips. His arms were crossed over his chest, wrapped in bandages – his head was the only part of him that remained uncovered, as well as his claw-like hands – and Effie could see that his fingernails were manicured. He had obviously been well cared for.

A flash of light and a sharp 'click' distracted her suddenly, and she glanced over to its origin.

Gus had snuck his mobile out of his pocket, and had snapped a sneaky picture of Pharaoh Ahkmenrah while Rebecca's attention was elsewhere.

"Hello, new facebook profile picture." He declared, and Effie had to laugh despite herself, but not unkindly. Gus glanced over and grinned, pocketing his phone.

"What? It's awesome." He smiled, before it faded from his face, replaced instead by a more serious expression. "We match, anyway." He pointed out, motioning to his own frizzy, ginger hair, and then to the distinctly orange locks curled up against the mummy's sunken in head. Effie giggled, before holding up her own.

"Snap. But I think Ahkmenrah's hair is just ginger with age. I don't think you can – or could - get ginger Egyptians."

"Oh well." Gus, shrugged, turning back to face the King. "I wonder what he looked like alive."

"Very different." Rebecca said suddenly from behind them, and the pair jumped in fright. She laughed brightly, displaying a set of white and gleaming teeth. "I'm sorry, but you both looked so terrified for a moment there."

Effie and Gus looked at one another, sheepish.

"But, again, to answer your question he looked very different in life."

"How would you know?" Gus asked jokingly, and Rebecca winked at him.

"Just a hunch."

"Could you tell us a little bit about him, please?" Effie asked politely, and Rebecca beamed at her manners.

"Of course, sweetheart. Well, you already know he was a Pharaoh – Pharaoh Ahkmenrah the first, fourth king of the fourth kings, was his exact title in fact. I believe that means that he was the fourth King in line in the fourth dynasty – or bloodline.

"That," Rebecca pointed towards the tablet, Gus and Effie following her gaze, "was his tablet – a national treasure bestowed upon the people of what is now Egypt for many years. It belonged to his parents, and was given to him as a gift from them, as they trusted him to look after it after they were gone. It was a great responsibility."

"What does it do?" Gus asked curiously, eyeing the tablet keenly.

"Well it was believed that it had magical properties, and was created by a priestess of supreme power. One recorded use was that it could bring the dead back to life, if used correctly. It's also supposed to unlock some sort of mystical gate – of type unknown – and give good health and immortality to its protector."

"The last factor was obviously false, then." Effie pointed out and Rebecca raised a dark eyebrow.

"Why is that?"

"Well, he's dead, isn't he?"

"True." Rebecca answered, a curious and knowing smile riding her lips. "Well, I don't believe a spoken tour is necessary for the others. They don't seem all that interested."

The trio looked back at the rest of the class, the majority of whom were crowding around Tara Manesti and her phone, laughing at whatever was on the screen.

"I guess we'll just go straight to the wax figures." Rebecca sighed, before starting towards the exit, the others in tow. Effie glanced back one more time at the sarcophagus, the tablet glinting and winking above it.

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Five more exhibits and a large amount of wax figures later, the sun was starting to set, and Rebecca was hurrying the group back to the lobby. Effie walked at the back alongside Gus, who was showing her the picture of Ahkmenrah he'd taken earlier. Effie felt a sudden distinct tickling in her bladder, and crossed her legs, biting her lips.

"Gus." She asked, touching his arm. He looked up and towards her. "If Mrs. Dewan asks, tell her I've gone to the bathroom, will you?"

"Sure," he answered, smiling brightly, and she doubled back and headed off to find a bathroom.

"Toilets, toilets, where are you?" She muttered to herself as she walked, keeping an eye out for a tell tale sign. She started into a new corridor, when the lights overhead went off with a crack, plunging her into near darkness. She froze, breathing hard.

"It's alright." She told herself to calm her nerves. "It's just near closing time, that's all. You're not afraid of the dark, are you Effie?" She pushed onwards nervously, looking more for an exit now than a bathroom. A sudden crash behind her had her leaping in fright, and she pressed herself back against the wall fearfully.

"H- hello?" She called, her voice wobbling, a shiver of fear running up her spine. She licked her lips nervously when there was no reply, before edging further down the corridor.

"Lord, if you make nothing bad happen I'll go to church everyday." She whispered, only half-jokingly, to herself, squeezing her eyes closed for extra effect. At the sound of heavy breathing, they shot back open.

"Who's there?" She shouted, growing terrified, as she stumbled around in the near darkness. A whimper burst through her lips as she started backwards the way she had come, her eye kept on the corridor in front of her.

"Just keep on like this, Effie, and you'll be fine." She whispered fearfully to herself. "Just keep on like this. Everything will be f-"

A hand clamped down on her shoulder.

*Year Four = the fourth year at school in the English system, not including pre-school and reception. Don't ask me what grade in would be, I have absolutely no idea. In year four you would be Eight to nine years old.

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**Shoutouts to: **

**MamaLita: I'm glad you like it. Thank you for clearing the grade issue up for me. She's in Grade Six, the rest of you!**

**Rumbleroar's-apprentice: I do like your name, by the way. Very different :) Thank you! I hope you enjoyed this chapter too. **

**Justareader: Fairly quick update, as requested. I'm glad you see her the way I see her. **

**Pinkxjellybean: Yes, she does. As she is used to being picked on, and being a little bit of a loner, I would say she wouldn't let it bother her too much anymore. I expect she'll worry about it a little bit more in the future. Obviously, she is used to having a not quite regular lifestyle. On another note – I've seen you and your name mentioned quite a lot around the NATM archive. I'm glad that you enjoy my story. **

**Note: I realise I misspelt Ahkmenrah in my story summary. I will fix that shortly.**

**Alright, the rest of you, where are your reviews! I know I'm getting the hits! Don't make me come after you…**

**(Author name change to RageRomania) **


	3. The Impossible

**Thank you for the support, everybody. Here's another update for you. Please review.**

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Effie leaped up into the air, a piercing shriek shredding from her lips as she struggled away from the hand clamped on her shoulder. Another hand reached across and pressed over her mouth, and her head span in fear as she hit out at whoever was behind her, catching them square in the stomach.

"Oohh…" They moaned, letting go of her and doubling over in pain, arms crossed over the affected area. "Ow, Effie, it was supposed to be funny, not painful."

"Nick?" She gasped, spinning to face him, dropping her defensive stance quickly "What on earth!"

"I was trying to scare you as a joke, Effie. Because I thought it would be funny. You could've told me you took fighting classes or whatever!"

"Self defence." She corrected him angrily, before her expression melted into one of concern. "Nicky, are you alright?"

"Yeah." He puffed, standing up straight again, hiding his pained expression behind a mask of disinterest. "You didn't hit me that hard anyway."

"Right." Effie could never understand the male instinct to appear as macho as possible in front of an audience. "Well seeing as you're not hurt, I might just kick you again!" She threatened, advancing towards him and he backed away quickly, his hands held up in front of him.

"No don't!" He half laughed half choked, flinching as Effie pretended to hit him over the head. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I just wanted to scare you, that's all."

"Well you certainly did just that!" She cried, finally able to see the humour in the situation. "You almost gave me a heart attack! I thought you were a thief or something!"

"Nope, just me." Nick grinned, running a hand through his curly dark-brown hair, his cheeky eyes glittering. Effie found herself smiling back for a moment, feeling awkward with nothing to say.

"So," she said eventually, breaking away her gaze to peer around. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Oh, I'm staying here for the night. With my dad." He explained.

"Oh of course." Effie remembered. "He's the night guard, isn't he?"

"Yeah." Nicky narrowed his eyes, suddenly defensive. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"Oh, no." Effie floundered, her eyes wide. "I never said there was. I think it's a good job, actually." She tried to cover. "It's better than Travis's job, anyway."

"Tra- oh yeah. You're adopted, aren't you?" Nicky asked hesitantly, and Effie looked at her feet, pursing her lips. "I'm sorry, was that insensitive?" He screwed up his face, reaching out a hand towards her. "I didn't mean it, honest."

"No, I know." She answered simply, glancing up at him and offering a small smile. "I just get very tired of being 'that girl who was adopted," you understand?"

"Yeah, I do. It sucks to be picked on." Nicky said sympathetically, taking a step closer to her. "I know you get that a lot, from Tara and stuff."

"Hmm."

"And," he hesitated, as if afraid to go on. "And, I know things aren't good with at home, you know, because I've heard you talking about it with Mrs. Dewan. I wasn't listening in or anything, but I was outside, and I know you're having money problems. But I want you to know that it doesn't make you any less worthy of being a person, you know? I still like you a lot, Effie, and would really like to be your friend, whether your adopted, English, poor, or not."

His words were quick – almost merging into one sentence – as if he were afraid to pause and to hear Effie's reaction. She remained silent for while after he had trailed off, her eyes fixed back firmly on her feet, her expression blank.

"Since when was being English a fault?" She challenged, and Nicky turned red, his jaw dropping open. It wasn't until he saw her eyes warm and glittering with humour when he realised she was winding him up. "I thought I already was your friend." She murmured again, but more seriously, and Nicky let out a silent breath he hadn't known he had been holding.

"Yeah, you're my friend. But am I your friend?"

Effie paused, deliberating. She saw Nicky watching on anxiously out of the corner of her eye, and decided to let him to suffer a little bit more after the prank he had played on her earlier.

"Well…" She started, tapping her fingers on her chin as if deep in thought. "I have to consider whether I think you're worthy, first."

Nicky looked taken aback, but nodded, saying nothing.

"And you have to complete a series of challenges for me, also." She grinned wickedly in Nicky's direction, and he caught onto the fact that she was joking around.

"Oh, very funny-"

"Task one. Get me back to the lobby before Mrs. Dewan thinks I've been kidnapped."

"Oh, that's sorted." He said breezily, waving an arm in dismissal. "I told her you were coming home with me."

"What?" She demanded, taking a step back in surprise. "Why?"

"Cos you're staying here for the night, of course!"

"I am? I wasn't aware of that."

"Well you are." He grinned proudly, handing her a laminated card. Effie took it, and read what was written on front.

"Night pass." She muttered, before laughing. Nicky was outrageous. "Alright, that's nice of you Nicky, but I actually have to get home. Sorry."

"Why?" He asked, looking a little bit hurt, and Effie felt a slight twinge of guilt at his forlorn expression.

"Because my parents will be expecting me."

"Give them a call."

"I don't have a phone."

"But I do." Nicky proclaimed, digging an old mobile from his pocket. "Here, give them a call and tell them you're staying here."

"I don't know their number." Effie tried lamely, though she could tell Nicky wasn't buying it. She sighed, and pushed the phone away gently, rolling her eyes.

"Look, Nicky, I appreciate the offer, really. But I don't really want to stay here the night. It's not really my cup of tea."

"But you'll love it, I promise." He urged, his eyes bright. "Seriously, I know you think it's going to be boring and everything, but it won't. You're going to be blown away, I swear."

"Blown away by what, exactly." Effie argued, putting her hands on her hips. "A few dusty wax statues and dark corridors? Or is there a grand heist planned for the night, and I get to help you defeat the baddies with my self defence skills."

"Stop being so mean, and just accept my offer!" Nicky exploded, glancing around him anxiously. "You're running out of time to decide!"

"What?"

"Just-" He faltered, waving his arms madly, before grabbing her arm. "Just come with me. And don't let my Dad see you."

"Why?"

"Stop asking, and start doing!"

Nicky dragged her down the hallway, half-running as he did so, ducking out of sight every time he heard the footsteps of who could only be his father. Effie was forced to follow, her irritation and sheer exasperation growing by the second. She didn't know what the problem was with Nicky – he didn't seem to be acting himself, that was for sure – but she didn't want to appear rude and tell him to bog off, either. Although, by the time he had pushed her back into the lobby, the latter was beginning to look quite tempting.

It was when he pulled her towards the male bathrooms when she snapped.

"Oh for heavens sake!" She hissed, shaking him off angrily. "I'm not going in there. This is ridiculous, Nicky, and you're acting strange. I don't know what sort of game you're playing but I'm not interested."

"Effie!" Nicky interrupted bluntly, motioning for her turn around. Effie stared at him silently, before launching back into her tirade.

"No, I don't know what you're playing at, but I'm not interested. I've already said I needed to get home, and-"

"Effie!" He nearly shouted, pointing over her shoulder. She hit his hand down in a moment of anger, ready to continue shouting, but Nicky had had enough.

"Oh shut up and look!" He cried exasperatedly, before grabbing her shoulders and spinning her on her heels himself. Effie squealed and was about to shake him off, when she found herself face to face with Rexy the skeletal dinosaur. Rexy, the apparently living, breathing, and moving skeletal dinosaur.

"What the-" She began to scream, before Nicky clamped a hand over her mouth hurriedly.

"Don't shout! You'll scare him!"

Scare him? _Scare him?_ Effie began to reel off a number of harsh profanities under Nicky's hand, struggling to break away from his grasp as she did. Her eyes bulged as it the dinosaur opened its mouth opened wide, displaying row upon row of sharp and evil looking teeth.

Effie let out a muffled shriek of terror, and broke from Nicky's bond, before ducking under Rexy's head and rushing past his legs.

"Effie!" Nicky cried out, as she skidded across the marble and towards the entrance, desperate to put some space between herself and the impossibly alive Tyrannosaurus Rex. She slammed into the glass doors hard, and yanked at the handle, before letting out a cry of desperation when finding it locked. She pressed her face against the glass, and could just make out the figures of people still out of the sidewalks, before the window fogged up with her fast coming breath.

"HELP!" She screamed out to them, banging with all of her strength at the glass with her fists. "Help me! There's a dinosaur! Heeelll-"

Another hand clamped over her mouth, and she bit down hard, her teeth sinking into what felt and tasted like… wax? She moaned and fell back, feeling an arm wrap tightly around her chest, pinning her own against her.

"Please don't panic, my good lady." A voice ringing with authority called into her ear, holding her tight as she struggled. "I know you are afraid, lady, but you have no reason to be."

Effie went still, giving up, her body trembling with fear. She squeezed her eyes closed and sent up a prayer, not understanding what on earth was going on. Why did the man she had bitten taste like wax? Why was the dinosaur alive? Why was Nick doing this to her? Her eyes began to sting, one or two tears escaping over her cheeks. She was terrified and felt ready to vomit, wanting her mother more than anything else at that moment.

"Please." She begged, under the restraining hand. "Please let me go. Please don't hurt me. I don't want to die, please don't kidnap me. You can have my money, you can have anything just-"

"My lady," The voice interrupted her, the tone gentle and comforting. "Do not fear us. We are not trying to hurt you, believe me."

Their hold relaxed on her slightly, and Effie took the opportunity to turn around, coming to face her capturer. He was quite a bit taller than her, and a little bit on the large size, with a soft, round face and a kind smile. He wore a green army suit adorned with various badges, and a matching hat with a wide brim sat on his brown curls. She recognized him as the man sitting on a horse by the entrance. A man made of wax, representing Teddy Roosevelt.

"What is going on?" She breathed tearfully, backing up against the glass doors. "Why are you moving?" She cried out again again, but with a little less vigour, and Teddy put an arm on her shoulder.

"Perhaps Lawrence would better answer your questions, young child." He smiled, tipping his hat gently. "Theodore Roosevelt, 26th president of the United States, at your service."

"But-but…" She pointed towards his pedestal by the door, where his horse stood watching curiously. She let out a whimper and pushed past him, coming to a stop in the middle of the lobby and looking around astounded. Around her, various figures from the exhibits she had seen in the day stood watching her curiously, each one seemingly alive on their feet.

"Impossible." She shouted, her voice echoing, earning grunts and snorts from a group of dirty Neanderthals hopping around by the door. She looked over at them in despair, her face turning pale, and streaking with new tears.

"Please Miss. Sit with me and wait for Lawrence." President Roosevelt probed gently from behind her, and she ignored him, taking a few shaky steps towards the staircase, before breaking into a run.

"Where are you going?" Somebody – she didn't know who – called from behind her, but she didn't give an answer. Effie didn't exactly know where she was going herself, but she was aiming somewhere far from the lobby.

* * *

**Well I didn't like it, that's for sure. I couldn't think of a suitable way to introduce the idea of living exhibits to Effie, and I didn't like my result. I think it was a little bit too rushed. Perhaps I will fix it in time. I didn't want to cut off where I did, but I was already over 2000 words, and thought that any more might be a bit of a brain melter to anyone reading. **

**A certain Egyptian Pharaoh makes an appearance in the next chapter, and no, he doesn't have a lisp. Only a very, VERY beautiful face. Yes, Ahkmenrah 3 What is a good NATM story without his marvellous presence?**

**Thank you for all of the reviews in the last chapter, everybody. They were much appreciated. **

**Shoutouts! (because I find them fun):**

**MamaLita: Nope sorry! It was neither of them. But good guess! Thank you, I hope this is a relatively okay cliffhanger as well :)**

**Lillykins: Glad you like it :)**

**Pinkxjellybean: I'd love that facebook picture too XD**

**Rumbleroar's- apprentice: I'm glad I made you smile :) hope it works again**

**Badness Bunny: Thank you for all of the compliments! They really made my day. Ahk in the next chapter :) **

**Rage :) **


	4. In Shock

Effie was breathing hard as she fled up the stairs and out of the lobby, the protests of the figures below flying over her head. She needed to find Nick, or the night guard, and make them tell her what the bloody hell was going on. She broke into a jog when she heard the footfalls of pursuit on the stairs behind her, twisting and turning down corridors at random in the hope to throw them off. She passed a group of Amish looking women; ignored them and sped up all the more, desperate to outrun the freakish phenomenon that was becoming the museum.

"Miss! Halt!" Roosevelt's voice called out from behind her, and she turned to see him and his horse riding down the corridor towards her. She let out a cry and broke into a flat out sprint, turning right at the end of the hall. There was a turn off into another exhibit before her and she raced into it, not bothering to check her surroundings. She dropped to the floor and curled into a ball, rolling behind a massive black marble statue and pressing against the wall. She heard the sound of approaching hooves and held her breath, watching as the President peered into the exhibit, before shrugging and leaving, continuing on.

Effie let out her breath and collapsed against the wall, the rough edges poking into her back. She closed her eyes and tried to slow her breathing, putting her head in between her legs as if about to faint.

"That was far too close." She breathed, smiling in a moment of madness and shock. She began to giggle and soon it became uncontrollable, and she clamped her hand over her mouth to suppress them.

A sudden grating of rock and a crash like thunder had her frozen and alert in a second.

"What on…?" She trailed off, her mouth hanging open, fear replacing all relief and laughter from the minute before. The hairs on her neck stood on end as she took in the sight above her, a tremor running up and down her spine. Two massive black Jackals – at least fifteen feet tall - towered above her menacingly, evil looking spears clutched in their hands, pointing in her direction.

"Oh. My. GOD!" She shrieked as a spear flew towards her, ducking in the nick of time. She turned towards the exit and saw it blocked by another Jackal, leaving her no choice but to head up to the other end of the hallway. She threw herself into a run and skidded under the legs of another statue, narrowly avoiding being impaled on a spike.

"HELP!" She screamed, stumbling on her own feet and sliding along the ground, before pushing herself back up and into a sprint. She approached the glinting sarcophagus and threw herself over it, ducking and pressing herself to the side for cover. A spear missed her head by a hairs breadth, and she began to cry once more, finding herself more utterly terrified than she had ever been before. She wasn't ready to die – she was only eleven – and death by ancient spears seemed a particularly nasty and agonizing way to go.

"Teddy! Nick! Someone, HELP!" She shrieked, waves of fear overcoming her as she heard the hulking masses of the statues coming closer. The ground shook with their steps, and any minute now and she was going to find herself a human pin cushion. She started to cry harder, curling into a ball, wrapping her hands over her head.

Then she heard it.

A voice, commanding her, speaking to her from inside of the coffin.

"Open my sarcophagus, young child! Let me out, and I can stop my guards!"

"What?" She yelled, pressing her cheek against the gold edge to hear further.

"Open it, or you will find yourself hurt, child!"

She froze, indecisive, more tears spilling over her cheeks as she bit her lip hard. If she opened the Sarcophagus, who knew what entail? She had seen enough horror movies to realise that letting out the Mummy was always a stupid and often fatal idea. But if she didn't…

Effie leaped to her feet quickly, leaning over the sarcophagus and yanking at the bolts keeping the lid at place. She glanced up and saw the Jackals honing in on her, and her heart damn nigh stopped altogether. She pulled at the lid desperately, finding that it wouldn't budge.

"The stone!" She heard from inside, and she glanced to the end of the coffin where a dark stone slab lay over it. Bracing her muscles, she shoved at it with all of her might, before yanking at the lid and falling back against the wall as it sprang open. She saw a bandaged figure pull themselves out, their movements jerked, and squeezed her eyes closed, pressing her palms over her face.

"Stop, just stop." She sobbed, her body aching from shock and physical strain – the stone slab had been a heavy task for someone her build. She heard a harsh command – in a language she couldn't recognize – and a colossal thump, then nothing but her own quiet tears and heavy breathing.

And then light footfalls, in her direction.

"Child?" The voice came suddenly from near, surprisingly articulate for a corpse.

Effie shrank back against the wall, pressing into herself tightly – trembling with fear.

"Don't hurt me." She begged, envisioning a number of horrors that would greet her if she opened her eyes. She had seen both The Mummy, and The Mummy Returns, and pictured the walking, rotting corpse in front of her to be similar to the one in the film.

"Don't drain my life force." She tried again, and she heard a grunt of surprise.

"Your life…force? Child, do not fear me." The voice spoke again, with gentle and melodic tones. The accent was strangely similar to her own, and Effie almost laughed at the idiocy of the situation. Almost.

"You wouldn't say that you were going to hurt me though, would you. You'd make me look so you could steal my eyes." She whispered tearfully, remembering that certain scene from the film. "And my tongue." She added as an afterthought.

"Your…?" The voice trailed off, silent. Deliberating.

Suddenly, Effie felt a pair of hands over her own, tugging them from her face.

"No!" She squirmed, kicking out, but connecting with nothing. Her hands were pulled from her face, and she kept her eyes squeezed shut.

"Do I feel as you expect me to?" The voice asked calmly, and Effie paused, wondering. The hands pressed against her cheeks, and she noted that they felt unusually warm, almost human…

She opened a single eye cautiously, blinking away at the tears for better vision, a few twinkling like diamonds where they rested on her lashes. The first thing she noticed was a young and exotic looking man sat in front of her, his expression kind and his eyes gentle. His skin was olive toned, and his eyes were a warm brown – a shade lighter than her own. His hair was also brown and curly, and Effie remembered a conversation.

"I was right." She breathed, shock induced, and the face furrowed in confusion.

"Pardon me?"

"You're not really a ginger."

"Effie?" A familiar voice rang from behind the man, and Nicky stepped into view over his shoulder, an older looking man beside him. "Effie, are you alright?"

"Am I alright? Am I _alright_!" Effie asked shakily her fear beginning to dissipate at the sight of a familiar face. Her cheeks flushed pink, and she squashed the last of her terror down – instead replaced by a cocktail of anger and shock.

"You… you… imbecilic, good-for-nothing _ratfink_!" She exploded tearfully, still trembling as she shouted. "You could have told me about all of this! Do you have any idea what I've been through? I nearly _died_!"

"Okay, calm down, Effie." The older man tried to soothe her, coming to crouch beside the man from the sarcophagus – she couldn't recall his name in her shock. Ahk something.

"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice shrill, a few extra tears dribbling from her eyes. She wiped at them angrily with the back of her sleeve, before sticking her chin out defiantly.

"I'm, uh, Larry. The night guard. Nicky's father."

"A pleasure." she retorted sarcastically, tucking her hands behind her back. Larry sighed and reached for her, and she shrank back, practically hissing.

"Ahk, could you…?" He asked, and the Pharaoh nodded, before holding out a hand. Effie noticed he was still bandaged up to his wrists, and hesitated, before taking it shakily, letting him pull her to her feet. She wobbled slightly and leaned back against the wall to support herself, her lip trembling as she looked around. She noticed the Jackals kneeling behind them, and whimpered, remembering the spears. The King followed her glance, before turning back, a reassuring look in his eye.

"Do not worry. They will not hurt you. They are under my command."

"I forgot your name." Effie sniffed, and he smiled, standing up a little straighter.

"My name Is Ahkmenrah, fourth king of the fourth kings, ruler of the land of my fathers."

"Oh." She answered feebly, crossing her arms. "Now I remember. My friend took a picture of you with his phone."

The king frowned and Larry stepped forwards, Nick close at his heels.

"Effie, I think you better come with me and sit down. I think you're in shock."

"Probably." She agreed, taking a wobbly step forwards. Larry laced an arm around her back and supported her, pulling her past the statues and towards the exit. Nicky followed close behind. Ahkmerah - unwrapping his bandages – stayed back.

"Why is this happening?" Effie asked the night guard, not needing to explain what she was referring to. A bronze replica of Columbus clattered past, throwing an odd look in her direction.

"I'll explain later. First, we need to sort you out."

"I'm so sorry Effie." Nicky joined in mournfully from behind, his expression riddled with guilt as he stared at the back of her head. He hadn't handled the situation correctly, he knew, and had been stunned by the force behind Effie's angry words – even if he hadn't understood them. It wasn't like Effie at all.

"Nicky, we'll save all that till later." Larry ordered, his expression stern. He was angry at his son's foolishness, both for letting another person in on the secret and for his thoughtlessness. He was concerned about the girl, also, who was taking in everything around her with a freakishly wide-eyed stare. He led her into his office, and sat her down gently on cracked leather couch, pulling a rug over her shoulders.

"Just sit here. I'll get you a cup of coffee, or something."

"I'd prefer tea." She murmured, her eyes firmly on her hands, which lay locked together on her lap.

"Okay."

Effie glanced up and took in her surroundings, relieved to see nothing out of the ordinary. It was a small 'office 'cluttered and cramped with books and furniture, aged and faded rugs laying scattered in random on the floor. The walls were plastered with various posters from the museum, and the air smelt like coffee, shoes, and old leather. She ran a hand over the blanket on her shoulders, liking the crackling feeling of the static.

"Here you go." Larry came over, a mug of tea in his hands. Effie took it and peered in dubiously at the dark and watery liquid, her nose wrinkling at the tea-bag still floating inside.

"Do you have any milk?" She asked, and Larry nodded.

"Sure." He replied, tossing a capsule over to her. She caught it deftly and ripped off the lid, tipping the creamy liquid into her cup until the tea clouded into a more beige-like colour. She took a sip, and leaned back.

"Much better. Thank you."

Larry and Nicky stood around for a few minutes, awkwardly watching as Effie sipped slowly from her mug. Larry noted that she seemed much older than eleven; in both the way she held herself, and her general demeanour. Her eyes were still ringed with red, and he remembered how she had reacted back in Ahk's tomb. She had seemed far more like the age she was back then.

At that moment, Akhmenrah himself walked in – dressed fully in his heavily decorative royal robes and crown. Effie looked up and Larry noticed her calm exterior crumble slightly, before she pulled herself together, only her knuckles turning pale.

"Larry, Nick." He greeted politely, before turning to the girl on the couch, his expression gentle.

"My apologies, child, for my guards." He started, and Effie looked up to meet his eyes. "They strive only to protect me, you see, and must of taken you for a threat."

Effie said nothing, her brown eyes wide as she stared at the figure in front of her. Ahkmenrah looked towards Larry, disconcerted.

"She's a little shocked." Larry explained, walking over and perching on the seat next to her. "It's alright. No-one's going to hurt you."

She looked at Larry for a moment, taking in the trusting light of his eyes, and the hard set of his features, before taking a deep breath and turning back to the Pharaoh.

"Hello, Ahkmenrah." She tried, only the faintest detectable tremor in her voice. The king smiled, and bowed his head.

"A pleasure. And may I know unto who I am speaking?"

Larry was set to simplify Ahkmenrah's sentence for Effie, as he often had to do for Nick, when she answered, in full understanding. He leaned back, eyebrows raised.

"Effie. Effie Kensington." She answered, before hesitating, her mouth hovering open in question. "May I ask you something?" She finally asked, and the Pharaoh nodded cautiously.

"Indeed…"

"Why is it that you can speak English? And so eloquently as well?"

Larry snorted in disbelief, surprised to know that 'eloquent' would even be in an eleven-year-old dictionary. Akhmenrah glanced at him curiously, before answering.

"I went to Cambridge University as part of their Egyptology department. I picked up the language therein."

"Ah." Effie nodded, before giving a shy smile. "My father went to Cambridge. But he didn't do Egyptology."

"Perhaps I heard him, once."

"Maybe." Effie agreed, still nodding. The white pallor had disappeared from her cheeks, and her eyes became less wary as she peered up at the ancient King, taking a sip from her tea.

"Is it your tablet which does this?" She asked suddenly, and Larry cocked his head in surprise. If she was referring to what he thought she was, how had she known?

"It is." Ahkmenrah confirmed, and Effie couldn't help but give purse her lips a little smugly at being correct.

"How did you know?" Nicky asked suddenly from behind his father, and Effie glanced over, her expression hardening a little.

"Earlier, when I was on the tour, Rebecca mentioned some things about the magical properties the tablet held. I dismissed them for urban legends then, naturally."

"Well." Larry began gently, touching her on the shoulder. "As you can see, none of it is legend. The tablet brings the entire museum to life every night, and then returns them to their usual states during the day."

"But how?" Effie asked, her logical mind straining. "And why? Why does it have these properties?"

"Perhaps that is a field where I would be better to explain." Ahkmenrah piped up helpfully, and Effie looked over, her shy little face flushing eagerly.

"If it's not too much trouble."

"In which case, follow me." The King offered, holding out a smooth, brown hand, his warm chocolate eyes reassuring as they probed into her own. Effie hesitated briefly, staring at it for a moment, before taking a deep breath and looking up at him with a nervous albeit slightly more trustful smile. She placed her smaller palm over his own and let him pull her up from the couch, shrugging the rug from her shoulders as she rose.

"Lead on."

* * *

**Well? What do you think? Do you like how I introduced Ahk? Do you hate it? Did I write him right? **

**I figured that – despite how mature Effie is – she would still react like an eleven year old when scared. I hope I wrote that part well... if not just let me know. **

**Shoutouts (Humour me – I enjoy them):**

**MamaLita: Thank you :) I'm glad you like it. **

**TTCyclone: I am going to finish this, don't worry. Thank you very much – I hope Ahkmenrah is good as well. **

**Pinkxjellybean: Thank you **

**Keep on reviewing anyone. Any less than three a chapter and I don't like to upload. **

**Thank you!**


	5. Lots of Questions For A Frazzled Pharaoh

**Disclaimer! (I realised I hadn't actually done one yet – oops!) I only own Effie, and a few random exhibit extras I've added in. **

"So – to recap – literally _everything _in a certain radius comes to life because of it?" Effie asked Ahkmenrah the question an hour or two later, at the end of her short tour of the museum. They had ended up back in his tomb and were staring up at where the golden tablet was embedded into the wall, glowing faintly around the edges as it's magic took hold over the museum. Ahkmenrah nodded and Effie shook her head, overwhelmed and still slightly disbelieving.

"But how does it _work?_" She stressed impatiently for perhaps the twentieth time that night, and the young Pharaoh suppressed a smile at her anxiety. He had learnt from Larry over the last year that the ideas of magic and the occult were dismissed and deemed as superstition amongst the people of the new age, and so he understood Effie's doubt at the tablet's acclaimed magical properties. He knew she was searching for a logical and more believable answer to the Museum and it's strange happenings, but he really didn't have one to offer.

"I have told you," he began for perhaps the one hundredth time that night, noting the slight roll of Effie's eyes. "It was created by a highly appraised priest of my time, and given powers to improve my lifestyle, and thus elongate my reign. Obviously, the spell was more powerful and effective than ever expected."

"I _know_ what you said, but it just doesn't make sense. There _has _to be a scientific explanation."

"Does there?"

"Yes!" Effie stressed curtly, narrowing her eyes up at the tablet as if it would give her a better insight to how it worked. "A very detailed and complicated explanation, albeit, but an explanation never-the-less."

Ahkmenrah said nothing, unsure of how to respond. He could see that Effie was set on her beliefs and her devotion to this science, and that he would be unable to say anything to get her to change her mind. He just hoped that she would end her presumption that if she grilled the young King to enough extent, he would somehow come up with a satisfying answer – he would never show it, but he had long before grown tired and rather weary of the enthusiastic young girl's endless questions. Towards the beginning of the tour, he had enjoyed teaching Effie about his tablet, his home, and the powers at work, encouraged by the awe struck and seemingly permanent eager expression set upon her pretty features. Of course, he also felt he owed it to her – it was _his _bodyguards that had almost had her hospitalized after all. However, after the first half of an hour, the Pharaoh had already begun to feel fatigued and exasperated, but the young girl didn't seem to ever want to just _stop talking. _

"I just don't understand." Effie began once again, and the Pharaoh almost moaned in frustration, searching for any excuse to pull himself away. At this rate, he would have the child badgering at his side until sunrise.

"Perhaps we should return to the lobby?" He tried desperately, taking Effie's arm and beginning to guide her gently backwards. She moved a few steps – unprepared – before stopping still and resisting.

"With all due respect, how will that answer my question?" She challenged politely, but there was a hint of frustration in her tone.

"Well… it will not, but would you not find it interesting to watch us and out actions? We normally play the game of soccer. You have heard of it?"

"Football." She mumbled, pouting slightly as she backed towards the exit. Ahkmenrah frowned, confused.

"Pardon?"

"It's called football, really. But in America it's soccer because they've called another sport football."

"I see…" Ahkmenrah murmured awkwardly, before falling silent. Effie stood before him, her eyes distant and downcast, her lips poised a little moodily. "Well, shall we go?" He urged after a moment, and Effie lifted a hand to her mouth to chew on a thumbnail.

"Mmm." She mumbled incoherently – shuffling her feet - and the young King frowned, not understanding.

"Pardon?"

"I don't know…"

"Do you, or do you not want to go to the lobby." He nearly burst, vexed, wanting the child to give him a straight reply for once. Effie looked up at him, surprised and a little bit hurt, and Ahkmenrah gave her an apologetic but strained smile. It had been a very long time since he had dealt with a young child quite like this one, and he knew he wasn't handling it well.

"I do but…" Effie trailed off, and the young prince cocked his head on one side, listening eagerly for the rest.

"I'malittlebitafraid." She said next, in a rush of breath that Ahkmenrah had to strain to make out.

"Afraid? Of what?"

"You know, the other exhibits… the dinosaur. Mainly the dinosaur."

"They will not hurt you." Ahkmenrah assured her with put on authority, leading her more firmly by the arm towards the exit of his tomb. "Larry will have spoken to them, no doubt, and they will be on their best behaviour. Rexy is not dangerous, anyhow."

"Really?" Effie frowned disbelievingly, raising her eyebrows. "He seemed dangerous earlier when he was, oh you know, trying to kill me."

"He was just trying to 'play', I assure you. He likes it when you make him run for his rib bone."

Effie snorted at his words, and shook her head, her expression slightly dazed and her dark brown eyes glazed over.

"Do you have any idea how strange this all sounds to me?"

"I can guess."

"A dinosaur that plays fetch with his own rib bone? Museum exhibits playing football for a pastime? Pinch me, I'm surely dreaming all of this." Effie sighed turning down the corridor leading towards the balcony overlooking the lobby. Ahkmenrah marched slightly ahead of her, his cloak swirling around his ankles, his gold sandals clacking loudly against the marble tiling. They soon became aware of noise in the museum – the cheering and general commotion surrounding a team sports game – and playing music that sounded suspiciously like Britney Spears' Toxic. Effie fought the urge to giggle. It was all just so ludicrous.

"Here we are." Ahkmenrah declared as the balcony came into view, with a rather frazzled looking Larry leaning and over it, gesturing wildly at whatever was below.

"Hey - Attila! What have I told you about terrorizing the miniatures? And Neanderthal guys – No more fire extinguishers!'

"Larry." The young king greeted him from behind, and the night guard jumped, clapping his hand over his heart.

"Oh, hey Ahk. You scared me." Larry's laughed, his friendly gaze shifting from the Pharaoh to the young girl now cowering behind him, observing the hubble below with a distinctly wide-eyed expression. Larry didn't blame her for feeling wary – the scene down in the lobby took a little getting used to. The Huns were charging through the crowds with those harsh and guttural moans that were supposedly and language, and the 'Civil War guys' were 're-enacting' historic battles for the entertainment of the Suffragette ladies, and Larry could just about make out Octavius and Jedediah whizzing over the polished floor in that beloved remote control car of theirs, swerving to avoid the streams of toilet paper being flung about by a band of Medieval Knights arrived only a few months before. Every so often, the cheerful cries from the soccer crowd would overshadow all other noise – which was really saying something what with the sheer volume of the music itself. Rexy the dinousaur was running his own rampage, his long skeletal tail wreaking more of havoc and creating more damages than Larry cared to think of. Let's just say he was more than pleased to be in Mr. McPhee's good books at that moment in time.

"Scared?" Larry joked awkwardly, addressing Effie directly, and she gave him a hard but still forced smile, her posture defensive, and her chin thrust outwards.

"Not at all." She lied, her gaze sliding away from his.

Larry cracked an inward smile, seeing straight through her, before turning back to face the Pharaoh.

"So, how's your night been? Effie had loadsa questions to ask?" He joked. Ahkmenrah winced, and gave Larry a private wide-eyed and desperate look, muttering under his breath so only the night guard could hear.

"You do not understand the _meaning_ of 'lots of questions,' Larry."

The night guard chuckled, shaking his head before gazing back fondly over the crowds below.

"I am completely serious. She hasn't given me a moment to catch my breath. I never want to explain the properties of my tablet again."

"Go down and join in with the fun – I'll keep an eye on Effie for a while." Larry offered after a moment of deliberation, his loyalty as a friend to the likeable Pharaoh winning over the side of him that wished to stay on his own.

"Are you sure?" Ahkmenrah asked politely, his courtesy ruined only by the fact he was already backing rapidly towards the stairs, a distinctly relieved look set upon his stressed features. Larry nodded and the Pharaoh disappeared in a flash, leaving a begruntled looking Effie in his wake.

"I wasn't done asking him about the tablet." She complained primly, raking a hand through her ginger ponytail, before sighing and turning towards Larry. "No matter, I can ask you about it instead."

As Effie launched off into a tirade of unanswerable questions and queries, Larry blew out his lips subtly and leaned back against the balcony railing, already feeling overwhelmed by the mere presence of the knowledge hungry eleven year old. If Ahkmenrah had been frazzled after only an hour or two of Effie then the night guard was in for a long, long night.

**Hello again! Sorry it has been longer than usual since my last update, but I've been on an outward bounds course and visiting family back in the UK.**

**I hope you all like this chapter – sorry that it's boring and short but it's more of a fill in than an actual chapter. I also wrote it on a long haul plane flight with a screaming baby infront of my, and a sea of spilled fruit loops on my lap, so please excuse any flaws. **

**Shoutouts :) (You know I look forward to them) **

**MamaLita: Thank you, thank you! For all of the compliments. You are too good to me. Yes, Jed will make appearances, I pinky promise :) I hope you enjoy this chapter too!**

**Pinkxjellybean: Thank you :) I just thought I'd add it in there for some reason. **

**Rumbleroar's-apprentice: Don't worry about it – ah it must be awful to be back at school. I've still got ten days… *smug* Thank you!**

**TTCyclone: Thank you! I'm glad you love it! Yes, Nick will receive a beat down, I assure you :) You're too kind to me also**

**Feel free to keep on reviewing! They make me smile :D **

**Rage**


	6. A Dream

**This is just a dream sequence – very short, I'm afraid.**

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The morning after Effie's visit, Ahkmenrah found himself dreaming. It was a strange one – a blend of truth from a life long past by, with an element of complete nonsense, as dreams often have. It moved quickly, as if time was somehow faster than usual, and was murky and unfocused, as if the young Pharaoh was viewing it through sticky honey. There was screaming – loud and agonized screaming, and Ahkmenrah felt distinctly impatient and anxious as he waited for the screaming to die down. Then the dream skipped, like chunk of it had been removed, and the King could just make out the form of a woman swimming and contorting in front of his eyes. Splashes of red patched across her clothing, and she held a small and wriggling newborn bundle in her arms, covered in a pungent gloop and traces of blood. The woman pulled back the linen blanket swathing the child, and Ahkmenrah found himself leaning forward – peering down.

And then the dream took a turn for the extraordinary. The face of the baby – and the face only – morphed slightly, the features visibly altering – ageing. It opened up to reveal a pair of very clear and very sad brown eyes – much like the Pharaoh' own - gazing up at Ahkmenrah with a mixture of plea and pain.

"Help me!" It begged him then, in the clear tones of a young girl, so strangely mixed with the infantile form. Blood began to seep rapidly through the linen surrounding the babe, from some unseen wound, and the young king tore it from around the child in alarm.

"Help me, my father!"

And then when the last of the blanket had been pulled away, and the babe lay fully exposed, Ahkmenrah noticed the knife lodged into its heart.

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**Yes, it's short, and yes, you are all going to hate me, but I swear to god I'm working on the next (full) chapter as we speak. I'm sorry, but it's been a long time since my last upload, and I was desperate to get on with the story. I was at a loss to come up with an effective link to the rest of the story whilst having it as a full chapter, and so I decided to just end it here. I'm sorry that it's so so so so short, but I swear there is more to come soon.**

**And I'm sorry for the long break – it's been pretty hectic. I started back at school last week – my week being from Sunday to Thursday (I live in a Muslim Country) – and I've had a lot of catching up to do, as well as drama to sort through. Please forgive me….**

**Shoutouts for those of you who reviewed last time:**

**MamaLita: I'm glad you liked it! Some Jed dialogue soon, I promise :)**

**TTCyclone: Haha yes, poor Ahk indeed! Effie can be quite irritating at times.**

**Rumble-roar's apprentice: Ouch! A test in almost every class! I would honestly hate your teachers. I hope it's gotten better!**

**Pinkxjellybean: I replied to yours by messaging :) I will add however, that the common view amongst the English peoples is that Americans called it Soccer for the reasons in the last chapter. We all call it football. We're obviously not very good at our football history that doesn't involve actual matches. Thanks for pointing it out :) I might change that in the chapter later, as Effie is supposed to be intellectual. **

**Ballad of the fool: I'm glad you liked that part! I liked it too! **

**Wow – I'm certain my A/N was actually longer than the chapter… SORRY! I promise the next part will be up ASAP!**

**Rage xx**


	7. A Conversation

"Good Evening, Ahk!" – Were the first words the young Pharaoh heard upon his awakening, before the lid to his sarcophagus was pulled back and a smiling Larry Daley helped him to his feet.

"Sleep well?"

"Somewhat." Ahkmenrah replied distantly, his thoughts returning to the strange dream of the mutant child and her wounds, puzzling over it's purpose. Larry noticed his friend's glassy gaze, and patted him on the shoulder companionably.

"You doing okay?"

"Do you dream often, Larry?" Came the Pharaoh's startling reply, and the night guard raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Uh, yeah. Sometimes. Why?"

"I dream, too."

"Really?" Larry was genuinely surprised – it wasn't something he'd really thought of. He knew that during the day-time the exhibits went into an almost sleep-like state, but none of them had ever mentioned dreaming before. But then again, maybe it was different for Ahk. He _was _the only one who had actually lived a breathed at some point – Rexy and the animals aside, of course. He watched curiously as the Pharaoh began to unravel his bandages, revealing the regal robes and fabrics below.

"Yes. I dreamed today, in fact."

"Oh yeah? What was it about?"

Ahkmenrah sighed, pausing his de-bandaging for a moment and staring up at his Jackal guards, as if they would help give him an answer to some unseen question.

"That is the point, Larry. I do not really know."

With that, he pulled the last of the linen from his body, and reached for his crown where it sat upon a nearby pedestal. Fitting it onto his head, he turned to the night guard with an expectant expression, motioning towards the exit of his tomb.

"Shall we?"

"Yeah, sure."

The pair walked out in silence; Ahkmenrah brooding, and Larry stealing concerned glances at his friend unusually troubled appearance. Ahk had always been quite reserved and separate somehow from the rest of the exhibits – still kind-hearted and friendly, of course, as was his nature – and despite his newfound closeness to the young Pharaoh, Larry occasionally realised that he did know next to nothing about his friend, aside from what could be found in textbooks or online. Not once had the young King told the night guard any of his personal history, or just sometimes how he _felt. _Larry thought that it might be something to do with the way he was raised?

"Is the young girl returning tonight?" Ahkmenrah broke the silence with a question, and Larry had to reassemble his thoughts to reply.

"Uh, you mean Effie? I don't think so – Nick told me her parents almost had the police out searching for her last night. Turns out she forgot to tell them she was going to be here."

The Pharaoh nodded, and Larry found the new silence that followed awkward and unwelcome.

"You were, uh, right about all of the questions. She never stops."

Ahkmenrah smiled for the first time that night, and Larry found it a welcoming sight. When the young king smiled it really did light up the entirety of his features.

"Seriously," he continued. "I would _hate_ to be her teachers."

"She has an inquisitive mind." Ahkmenrah summarised, nodding his head slightly. "Despite it's annoyances to yourself and I, I consider it a positive feature in a child."

"True, that." Larry agreed, before offering the Pharaoh a rueful smile. "I wish Nick was more like her then, I guess."

By this time, the pair had reached the balcony over the main lobby below where – like most nights – the majority of the exhibits seemed to gather and socialise. There were no music as of yet, but the night was still young. Streams of toilet paper were already appearing over the lobby furniture, to Larry's despair.

"I swear if you guys make as much of a mess as last night, I'm going to be fired." Larry sighed, leaning against the railings and gazing down fondly, waving to anyone who noticed him above.

"Seeing as that has not happened as of yet, I believe that to be unlikely." Ahkmenrah assured him, taking in the scene below him with a thoughtful look in his eyes. Larry glanced at him again, and wondered why the young King had never asked him any questions about the modern world, and the fate of his own kingdom. He wasn't sure where the thought process had come from, but he hazarded a guess towards the fact that the Pharaoh did look quite regal as he stared down at the others, as if they were his subjects.

"Can I ask you a question?" He said then, deciding that he may as well try to find out something.

"Of course."

"How come you've never asked me about all of this? About the modern world? I mean, I can't help but wonder if you even understand half of the stuff I'm making references to at times."

Ahkmenrah looked at him thoughtfully, his full lips pursing slightly as he mulled over the question.

"There is no simple answer to that question." He began, staring off back down into the lobby once more. "I think I prefer to remain unaware. Of course, I know things have changed drastically – that first night you let me out of my sarcophagus I saw many things I did not recognise. Especially when we left the building. I chose not to ask about them mainly because I do not want to know. I do not like the idea that everything has changed. It makes me miss what once was even more, Larry."

"Uh, huh."

"Sometimes I am very temped to ask about my kingdom… or Egypt, as you tell me it is now called. However, I am also reluctant..." he trailed off, before turning to face Larry with an expression that could only be described as pleading.

"Has it changed very much, Larry? From when it was mine?"

The night guard hesitated before answering – he knew what Ahkmenrah wanted to hear; that it had changed very little. But if he gave him that answer, he would be lying to him, and he didn't want to lie to his friend.

"I've personally never been…" he tried as a beginning, "but… I would think that it has. Yes. Quite a lot. A lot."

The Pharaoh looked saddened but said nothing, choosing to turn his face away. Larry felt a wave of pity for his friend – it had to be hard to take it all in – and so found himself taking a step closer and resting his hand on the young King's shoulder.

"It's… okay."

"What is?"

The question came back almost immediately, and Larry got the impression that Ahk wasn't exactly asking him what he was referring to, but was using the question to indicate that he didn't think 'it' was okay at all.

"I had a family, you know." The statement was sudden, and it took Larry by surprise.

"Uh, yeah I thought you might have…"

"A daughter. Two daughters, in fact, but I lost one shortly after birth."

"I'm… sorry."

"And a wife. Actually, I had more than one wife, but my sister was my chief consort. That's means that she was my primary wife."

"Your, uh, sister?" Larry asked again, wondering if he'd misheard. Ahkmenrah nodded, and Larry decided not to push it. He had heard that incest was pretty common amongst ancient royals. And not so ancient ones.

"She never gave me a child, to my father's dismay. He was always disappointed in my apparent disability to produce a son, or at least more than one child who could survive childbirth."

"Like Tutankhamen!" Larry remembered that scrap of information, and seemed to recall _that_ Kings problems being down to the fact that a load of his ancestors had been related to one another before marriage.

"Who?"

"Oh, right, he came after you… Yeah he was a Pharaoh too."

"I see."

"So," Larry attempted to re-start up the conversation. "Do you remember your family? Your daughter?"

"I think so." Ahkmenrah answered, frowning. "Not well, but I have my suspicions that she may have been a part of my dream."

"Well, that's good right?"

"No. She had a knife in her heart."

Larry paused, mouth open, unsure of what to say to that.

"Uh well…" he struggled, "It was just a dream. They don't have to be real."

"I realise that, but it felt familiar." Ahkmenrah sounded frustrated, and Larry wondered it he was trying to connect the dream to his past life. "Her voice sounded familiar, but now I wonder how I was able to conjure it up in a dream."

"Dreams work like that." Larry assured him, holding back a yawn – he was tired, not bored by the conversation. In fact, he was secretly thrilled that Ahk was finally opening up a little.

"It made me miss her." The young king said then, in a voice small enough for Larry to nearly miss it. He glanced over at his friend and noticed the distinctly forlorn look in his eyes. It saddened him to see it.

"I do not want to find myself forgetting the people I once loved. But it is too late, I already have."

"Ahk I'm… really sorry."

"Please do not mention our conversation to anyone else." Ahkmenrah asked Larry pleadingly. "I prefer it when I know my thoughts are private. I opened up to you because… I am not sure. Perhaps because I know you have lost things too."

"Wait, I have?"

"Your wife."

Larry stared at Ahkmenrah, flabbergasted. He couldn't for the love of him remember relating _that_ story.

"…How…?"

"Nick told me."

"When?"

"Not too long ago. He mentioned a new consort of hers."

"Yeah…"

"I suppose you are threatened by him."

"What do you mean?"

"You worry that you are going to lose your son to him, do you not?"

Larry stared again, speechless.

"I am not a fool," Ahkmenrah pointed out, and Larry shook his head. "I am only guessing at your feelings by relating them to what mine would be. I can assume by your surprise that I am correct?"

"Yeah…" Larry looked as his feet. "I guess I do worry sometimes. A lot, actually."

"As anyone would."

"But look, I'm sorry but I don't really want to talk about it…" Larry felt bad saying this, knowing that Ahkmenrah had shared a lot with him. But Larry was definitely not to open up about his failed marriage to Erica. The Pharaoh nodded in understanding, a rueful glint in his eyes, before he stepped over to the night guard and mimicked Larry's actions from before – placing a hand upon his shoulder.

"We are both men with – or who had – responsibility Larry. We are not so different. And if you ever need to talk about your own problems, well – let us just say that I am forever in your favour."

"Thanks Ahk." Larry smiled across at his friend, before the pair stepped apart and resumed their positions looking down at the chaos below. Neither of them spoke past that, but this time the silence was comfortable.

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**Sorry for the long gap… I know I promised it would come quickly, but I've hit a few obstacles in my week, in the form of massive amounts of homework, bad news and more. I'm sorry, but it's all been out of my control. **

**Anyway, I hope you like the chapter. I don't, but I never do, so that's not really a change. **

**Shoutout for pinkxjellybean for reviewing my last sort-of-chapter. I only received one review but as it was such a short entry I don't think it really counts. **

**Reviews for this one please!**

**Rage. **


	8. Plans to Return

"My favourite period of History, Nicky, is the French Revolution."

Nick Daley looked up from his plate of unappetizing cafeteria food and gave Effie Kensington a slightly baffled look, his fork hovering mid air en route to his mouth. He swallowed a bite quickly and rubbed at his lips for any sauce with his napkin.

"Uh, What?"

"The French Revolution. I love it. The 1917 Russian Revolution also, but the French is the tops for me."

"Umm… okay." He replied, wracking his brains for any scrap of information to indicate he knew what the hell she was on about, but he came up short. "I don't think we've learned those yet, Effie."

"Oh I know you haven't." She replied shortly, tucking a lock of her carrot-ginger hair behind her ear. "But I have. Or at least I taught myself. With help from my step-father."

"Okay… so where exactly did this train of thought come from?"

"That biscuit." She replied with a smile, motioning towards the Chocolate Cream sitting on the edge of Nicky's plate. It was one of those sandwich styled ones, with a layer of creamy chocolate in between to slithers of biscuit-y chocolate. Nicky looked at it for a moment, before glancing back up at his friend with a distinctly puzzled expression.

"I don't get it…"

"Back in the UK we call them Bourbon's," she explained, plucking the confectionary from Nicky's plate and holding it up. "They say 'Bourbon' across the top. They're my favourite kind of biscuit – or were. My mother used to buy them for me as treat."

"Fair enough." Nick replied, still somewhat confused. "But how did you get the French Revolution from that?"

"Well the ruling Royal Family at the time belonged to the House of Bourbon. The biscuits were named after them."

"That's… random."

But Effie's conversations usually were, Nicky thought, as he tucked back into his greasy cafeteria spaghetti. Yesterday at lunch she had started a conversation about Istanbul and it's history as a Christian city or something, and some random Sultan with a huge cannon Nick knew nothing about. He'd tried to joke about it at first, asking Effie if that had been a euphemism, but she'd simply stared at him coldly before continuing on.

Not-surprisingly, these were now one-sided discussions.

At least she was talking to him again though, he mused, pushing a forkful of mince into his mouth. Effie had been giving him the cold shoulder for a few days after her trip to the museum, but had finally given in after his twentieth apology. Nick didn't usually beg but he'd found himself doing so after having Effie reject his umpteenth attempt at conversation, and he'd been surprised at how much it bothered him when they weren't talking. He liked her company, despite it's tendency to turn towards the strange.

"That's what the museum is missing, Nick. A display on the French Revolution," She continued with a sigh, her warm brown eyes turning distant as she considered the idea. "I would love a talk with Louis… I would have so many questions."

"Well I could always ask Dad if there was anything available." Nick offered tentatively, but Effie shook her head quickly in dismissal.

"No never-mind. It was just a thought."

"When are you planning on coming back, anyway?" Nicky asked after anoher moment, watching as Effie pushed her own pasta around her plate. She never seemed to eat – that was one thing he'd noticed.

"I'm not sure. My step parents were furious after last time."

"What if you _told_ them you were going to go though? Would they mind then?"

"I don't think they'd like me to be out that late, Nicky. They can be quite protective…"

"Ask them if you can stay over at mine then. Tomorrow. Or even tonight. I'm at my Dad's for weekends, so I go with him to work. You can come too – he won't mind."

"Are you sure? I mean, will your Dad want the responsibility?"

"He won't mind." Nicky repeated confidently, and Effie smiled, sitting up a little straighter. She had been hoping to return to the museum – even though her last visit had been a bit of a shambles – as she was growing impatient trying to get to the bottom of the mystery of the exhibits and Ahkmenrah's tablets. Another visit would enable her to talk to the young Pharaoh once again, and hopefully get a bit more information from him than last time.

"So how about it?" Nick asked suddenly, looking expectant, pulling Effie out of her breif reverie. She nodded and he broke out into a grin, his cheeks pinking slightly. "Great! So I'll send my Dad a quick text and you can go call your step-parents." He pulled his phone out of his pocket when he thought he was hidden from any teacher's sight, and was about to head to the nearest bathrooms before he noticed Effie looking up at him with a distinctly embarrassed expression.

"Um Nicky. Would I be able to borrow your phone? I don't… I don't have one."

"Uh, sure." Nick smiled, successfully quashing his surprise. Most people he knew in their grade had their own phones, but Effie was quite poor wasn't she? Or maybe her stepparents were the kind of people who were convinced they gave you brain-cancer or something.

Four hours, two phone calls, and a long walk home later and the two were in the lift* going up to Larry's apartment, chatting and laughing about some incident involving Tara Manesti and a Poetry assignment.

"It was hilarious." Effie giggled, nudging Nick with her bony elbow. "I've never heard such a load of twaddle in my life."

"What did it say? I heard it was bad." Nick found himself giggling in response, half because he found Effie's laughter contagious, and the other half at her use of the work 'twaddle.'

"Yes, it really was. Look here, I wrote it down." She hastily pulled a crumpled looking piece of lined paper from her bag and held it out before her with a flourish, before she cleared her throat theatrically, before she began to read.

"_When the baby was born a lovely pink _

_From a pink nipple it did drink-"_

"What!" Nicky snorted, pulling the paper towards him. "How did she get away with saying 'nipple?'"

"She didn't. Mr. Jacobs was really annoyed. But listen, there's more:"

_Just before the journey home _

_It was dressed in pink._

_It's tiny socks were a wooly pink_

_Its diaper was also pink_

_It was placed in a black convertible_

_The upholstery was a lovely pink_

_Then they arrived home at last_

_To be greeted by a hot pink house_

_Where it had a lovely bath_

_A pink bubble bath_

_In a plastic pink tub_

_Then mother put it to bed_

_In it's little pink cot_

_With it's lovely pink quilt_

_And it's pink teddy bear_

_No wonder my baby brother_

_Thought he was a little girl_

_When they put a pink ribbon_

_In his hairs. __"_

"That is the worst poem I've ever heard." Nicky exclaimed when she was done, giggling between his words. "She can't have been serious when she handed it in."

"No, I think she was taking the Mickey, to be honest. She hates English."

"Does she have a brother?"

"I don't know. I hope not. He sounds like a transvestite in the making."

The pair stumbled, still laughing, out the lift as it opened up onto Larry's floor, and Nick lead to the way to his front door, pushing his way in.

"Hey Dad, it's me and Effie!" He yelled, dumping his bag by a plant pot and kicking off his shoes. Effie did the same, gazing around in awe at the apartment and it's furnishings. It was ultra-modern, with lots of glass and white paint. A few minimalistic paintings hung in strategic positions on the walls, but they were otherwise bare, interrupted only by a great floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the Hudson. Effie compared it to her own small and shabby apartment she shared with her stepparents, and felt an instant but distinct wave of jealousy towards the Daley's. How could a man living of the salary of a night guard possibly afford all of this?

"We just moved in." Nicky explained, catching her looking around. "Dad's started up his own business a year ago, and it's just taking off. He invents all this weird but useful stuff, and it's getting pretty popular."

"What sort of things." Effie asked, pushing her jealously away. Nick was her _friend, _and Larry had evidently worked hard for what he had gotten.

"This is the latest one." Nicky showed her into the kitchen – all white and modern, again – and pulled open the fridge door, plucking out what looked to Effie a lot like a glue stick. He handed it over to her and she examined it doubtfully, unable to see what was so different.

"Read the label." Nicky prompted her, and she did so, her eyes widening when she saw the words, 'chocolate' and 'spread' printed in a appropriate brown.

"Wait, it's-"

"Glue stick chocolate spread." Nicky finished for her, before grabbing a slice of bread and showing her how it worked. "It's just like a glue stick, see." He explained, popping of the lid. "You just rub it on! It's great, and so much easier than spreading it with a knife. The bread always rips to pieces when you do that."

"Quirky." Effie breathed, having a go with the chocolate spread herself. "It tastes really nice too!" She proclaimed, licking a bit off her finger.

"Well the chocolate spread is actually Nutella. I offered the glue stick idea to them." Larry said suddenly from behind, shoving a new looking BlackBerry into his jeans pocket.

"Hey Dad," Nicky greeted as he was pulled into a strong hug, shaking his head in embarrassment as Larry hand ruffled through his thick brown curls. "Daaadd!"

"Hey Effie. How's it going?" Larry asked her next, and she wiped at her mouth quickly for any offending chocolate spread.

"Good, thank you. Your glue stick idea is genius, by the way. And thank you so much for having me."

"Thank you, and no problem!" He grinned bashfully, perching on one of the chrome stools up against the kitchen counters, glancing quickly at the mess of crumbs and bread. Nick ran a hand over it hastily, scooping them into the bin. "So you wanted to come back then, huh? To the museum I mean."

"Yes." Effie nodded. "I've been thinking about it a lot since my last visit. I really want to know more. I'm hoping to ask the Pharaoh – Ahkmenrah was it? – A few more questions. Do you think he'll mind?"

"Uh… no?" Larry replied after a pause, but it came out more as a question than an answer. He wasn't really sure whether Ahkmenrah would be bothered or not – he _had _said something about inquisitive minds being a good thing, right? But he had also dropped the girl on Larry at the first opportunity. "Just don't tire him out."

"Or course not."

"So, what time are we going to leave?" Nick asked, and Larry shrugged, pulling his now-buzzing BlackBerry out from his pocket again, beginning to type.

"Uhm… not sure… I want to go earlier… hang on, I've got an e-mail." He lapsed into a silence, fully absorbed in the screen before him, and Effie and Nick stood about awkwardly, saying nothing.

"Sorry." Nicky whispered to his friend quietly, screwing up face apologetically. "He goes like that sometimes. I call it his BlackBerry mode."

"Okay!" Larry enthused suddenly before Effie had the chance to answer,and the pair jumped. "What was the question again? What time? Right um… how about we try to get down there earlier than usual. I'm not going to be able to go for a few days so I wanna have a little extra time with them."

"Where are you going? Why can't you see them?" Nick asked, frowning, and Larry patted his back reassuringly, albeit slightly absently.

"It's nothing big. I'm just checking out a potential investor for my company. If they bite, I might be able to take it full time!" Larry grinned, enthusiastic, and he punched Nick on the shoulder slightly. "Hey! Wouldn't that be good! You'd get an allowance raise."

"But… then what about the museum?" Nick asked, confused, chewing on his bottom lip. "You couldn't work day _and _night."

Larry's smile slipped for a moment and he glanced away quickly, pretending to study the kitchen countertop. Effie caught a glimpse of uncertainty in his eyes, and by the look of Nick's now slightly more aware looking expression, he had caught it too.

"Dad? Dad! What about the museum? You're not going to leave it are you?"

"We'll… we'll just see what happens." Larry said slowly after a few moments pause, his new smile strained and odd looking. Nick puckered his brown, opening his mouth to protest and push the matter further, but his Dad shot him a, 'we'll talk about it later, son,' look before he had the chance. He shut his mouth again quickly and looked at his feet, and uncomfortable lump lodging in his throat, making it harder to swallow. His Dad wouldn't _really_ ditch his job as the night guard would he? He loved his job there as much as Nick did, who counted the various exhibits as at least seventy percent of his closest friends. Ahkmenrah and Teddy especially. If his Dad left the job he would barely get to see them, he realised, and the thought of that made his eyes sting a little.

"Don't look so down, Nick. We'll work it out, okay?" His Dad tried to reassure him, but he wasn't exactly convincing - His attention had already turned back to his BlackBerry, buzzing again against the counter. Nick glanced over at Effie who seemed equally as sceptical – but who hid her expression as soon as she noticed him watching – and suddenly found himself not certain of his dad's loyalty to museum at all.

* * *

**I didn't really like this, but a fill-in chapter had to be done. It was too soon and random to get straight into the main story line. I know this is taking forever, but bear with me – I don't want to rush it.**

**Sorry for the long update gap but there have been a mixture of factors holding me up in the Fanfiction department: Homework and family problems mainly, but I wont bore you with the details.**

**I don't like this one – the writing seems a bit awkward and strained for me, especially towards the end, but I wrote this in the only available time I had (which was half an hour just before I went to bed) so it was never going to be my best. It'll start moving on a little after this, I promise. Don't get bored, although I know it's tempting.**

**By the way: I don't actually know if you get Bourbons in the US or not – as I've never been – so I'm really really sorry if you do but I just went on the fact that my American friend had no idea what they were when I told her about them. If you DO get them out there, could you possibly pretent that you don't for my sake?**

**Oh and the asterisk. I call elevators lifts, as is most common in the UK, and again I wasn't sure if this is the same in the US. Just thought I'd ask, just in case.**

**Shout-outs to:**

**TTCyclone – D'aww indeed :) I thought that Larry and Ahk needed a bit of a bond.**

**Rumberoar's-apprentice – Don't worry about not reviewing for that 'chapter' two chapters ago. It was short and crap and I didn't expect anything anyway :) I know, teachers are so selfish! Especially teachers teaching the IB diploma, if you know anyone doing that… It's hell. Believe me. Don't do it. Ever.**

**IrishSoyBean – Thank you! Don't worry about it :) Nice to know I've got another follower :D**

**Ballad of the Fool – Glad you fine the wife/sister thing interesting :) I thought I had to put it in there to make it more realistic – as most Egyptian royals married their siblings or half-siblings as to do as their Gods did – but I wasn't sure how people would react to it as it is obviously a bit of a taboo.**

**Pinkxjellybean – Thank you! I'm glad you like the background :D**

**Please keep reviewing, and hang on - it will get better! **

**Rage x**


	9. Teaching Geography

The second visit Effie paid to the museum after hours was somewhat less emotional than the first, and she found her self able to enjoy herself a little bit more, and grow accustomed to most of the strangeness. It was just like one big child-friendly costume party, she realised, if you managed to get past the fact that the attendees weren't actually dressed up for the occasion, but were inanimate museum displays brought to life every night but some unseen force of Ahkmenrah's tablet. Which she could. Sort of.

The one thing she still couldn't accept, however, was the so-called 'magic' behind the works of the tablet, and the apparent lack of a logical and scientific explanation. She also couldn't believe that Larry hadn't ever chased one up for himself, along with the countless night guards before him. Had they all be so dense?

"It's not that." Larry tried to explain when she quickly quizzed him in his five-minute break from the football field. "It was more of an, I-don't-want-to-know-so-I-wont-ask kind of thing."

"But why?" She cried, exasperated, but Larry was already jogging back onto the 'pitch' with a sheepish but somewhat relieved expression on his face. She gave a muffled squeak and threw her hands in the air in despair, much to the amusement of a nearby and watching Nicky Daley.

"You need to chill." He told her laughing, handing her a plastic cup of water. She scowled at him over the rim before taking a gulp, and wiping her lips on the sleeve of her cardigan.

"It annoys me when I don't know things!"

"I know, but just forget about it for now and have fun! Look, you're all stressy. That's what thinking about things too much does to you. C'mon. Loosen up and enjoy yourself more."

"It's not that easy." She grumbled, taking another sip of her water and glaring moodily to where the football match had resumed. Well, they called it football – or 'soccer', it didn't matter – but it was more than obvious that half of the players had absolutely no idea what they were doing. The ball was currently clutched in the arms of one of the Huns - running towards the wrong goal - with a vexed looking Teddy and Ahkmenrah shouting tiredly after him.

"Sure it is." Nick told her firmly, grabbing her arm. "Come on, let me introduce you properly to the people here."

And so he dragged her off from exhibit to exhibit, throwing out more names – most with difficult pronunciations - into the open than she could even try to remember. The couple that stood out to her the most were both the chivalrous Roman general – what was his name? Octavus? Octavius – and his somewhat less polite cowboy friend, Jedediah. Maybe it was the mismatched but somewhat charming pair they made that brought on her instant liking for them, or perhaps the fact that they were no longer than her index finger, but Effie enjoyed talking with them greatly and was slightly disappointed when Nick dragged her on. Oh, and Sacajawea had been _lovely, _in a motherly sort of way. She hadn't been too fond of the Huns with their guttural tongues and generally intimidating demeanours, and the Civil War 'Dudes' had been a little frightening with their featureless faces, but Effie chose not to hold that little handicap against them. She wouldn't even go near to Rexy, despite Nick's pleas and persuasion. Not even his reassurances that the dinosaur was 'more like a big dog,' and that he and Ahk had even ridden on his back would win her over.

"I'll be in my grave before you'll get me on his back!" She huffed indignantly, marching away from the rather forlorn and dejected looking dinosaur, his head hanging and a slow whine emitting from _somewhere_ as he nudged the rib bone with his…nose.

It was only shortly afterwards when the football match had to be called off after an unfortunate accident with one of the Huns attempting knock the ball into the goal with the sharpened head of his axe. The players groaned and protested as both they and the spectators began to slowly ebb away to various other parts of the museum, Larry calling after them with promises of a new ball by the next night.

"Want to go see Ahkmenrah now that he's free?" Nicky offered Effie after a few moments of awkward silence – the atmosphere in the lobby had sizzled into almost nothing at the abrupt ending of the game, and the masses had moved elsewhere. She nodded absently and followed Nick over to where the Sovereign was standing, engaged in half-hearted conversation with Larry. Effie guessed they were both pretty miffed at the disappointing end to the night's festivities. They both looked up as the youngsters approached, and Larry ruffled a hand through his son's hair, nodding in Effie's direction.

"Hey Nicky, Effie. You guys doing alright?"

"Yep, sure." Nick answered his father, shrugging. "I've just introduced Effie to all the other exhibits and stuff."

"Good. Good." The foursome lapsed into a heavy and uncomfortable silence – the kind where you find yourself blushing and staring at your feet - and Nick found himself suddenly desperate for someone to break it, as it always it.

"So-" he started blindly, just as Ahkmenrah opened up with a question of his own – evidently also making at attempt at breaking up the awkwardness between them - and the young boy nodded for the Pharaoh to continue.

"I was just going to ask Effie how she feels about the museum now that she has had a more… organised introduction." He admitted, smiling briefly at the young girl. She smiled back – relieved for the conversation – and started to tell him – in great detail, as she usually did when she was nervous – about her evening so far. After a few moments Larry started backing away, and Nick soon followed – not really interested in where Effie was going. Ahkmenrah tried to listen attentively to what she was saying but found her slightly hard to understand, as her speech was both faster and somewhat… _different _to what he had grown accustomed to in his years in the museum. Effie, noticing his shift in expression, trailed off suddenly and blushed a chagrined red, immediately beginning to stumble an apology for her chattiness.

"I'm sorry, I appear to be boring you. I do talk a lot, however. You should have just said something."

"No, no." Ahkmenrah assured her hastily. "It is not that. I simply find you slightly difficult to understand, that is all. You sound different to say, Larry and Nick."

"Well that's because I'm from another country," She explained, before frowning. "But hold up – your own accent is not _too _dissimilar to my own. You can hear yourself talk, surely?"

"Well yes I can, of course, but one grows so accustomed to their own voice or accent that they fail to notice it, do they not? And I have never had to listen to another like myself."

"You understood me the other day." Effie pointed out bluntly, crossing her arms, and Ahkmenrah sighed inwardly. Why was this girl so insistent on having everything explained to her so meticulously?

"Yes, but your speech was slower then. You have sped up in your enthusiasm." He pronounced each word slowly, and said them perhaps a tad more patronisingly than he had indented, and Effie's face flushed once more in response. He sighed inwardly for the second time, and attempted to change the conversation. He had to be careful not to lose his calm around this Effie in worry of offending her, but frankly it was just so _difficult!_

"You said you were not from this country," he started, and Effie nodded curtly, her cheeks still pink and her mouth set in a sulky line. "I take it you are from where I was originally sent to? Cambridge?"

"Not quite, but close." She answered slowly, her expression clearing with her new distraction. "Cambridge is a city in a country called England. I'm from Southampton – another city, but seeing as both are towards the south, the accents are not too dissimilar."

"There are many different accents of England, then?"

"Oh heavens, thousands!" She exclaimed, her arms unfolding. "But many people seem to fail to recognise that. They assume that everybody English either speaks like you and I, or like somebody from East London or Birmingham.

Ahkmenrah nodded, feigning sympathy, pretending to know what she was talking about.

"Even worse, they think everybody British sounds the same! It's ridiculous! There are _hundreds _of thousands of accents across Britain!"

Now Ahkmenrah was even more confused – was being British somehow linked to being English? Which country did one have to be from to be British? He had never seen a modern map in detail. Effie seemed to register his confusion, and she grabbed his arm quickly, pulling him towards the globe mounted in the middle of the lobby. The young king blanched and almost pulled away. He had never really been _grabbed _like this before – merely touching the king without permission had been both offensive and disrespectful back in his time. It appeared this was no longer the case.

"This here, is England, alright?" Effie explained, jumping up onto Larry's desk to get a better view of the earth mounted above it. Ahkmenrah hesitated, before doing the same. Something about parading over the desks felt very shameful, but Effie seemed too caught up in her enthusiasm to notice. He peered down at where she was indicating: A tiny landmass just separate from a much larger one to its East. He noticed another, smaller looking landmass just to the right of it, and then a speck just underneath.

"That island is England?" He guessed, but Effie shook her head adamantly.

"No, sorry. Perhaps I should have been clearer. Only _this _bit," she motioned to the lower half of the Island, which he suddenly realised was separated by a black line to both the north of it, and a part of the west, "is England. The country above and connected to it is Scotland. And the other one sticking out of it in the west is Wales. Understand?"

"Yes, I think so." Ahkmenrah answered, trying to make sense of it all.

"This other Island here – the one just to the west, is normally just called Ireland. Although technically it is again split into two countries: The Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland."

"Why are they split?"

"I'll come to that in a minute. Now, the concept of Britain or, 'Great Britain' in full." She paused and gave the Pharaoh a sidelong glance, holding up a finger in warning. "I won't lie to you, this is when it gets a bit tricky," she explained, and Ahkmenrah nodded for her to proceed.

"Great Britain is just England, Scotland, and Wales together." She started, pointing to each country respectively. "It all came about being known as this about four-hundred and something years ago, when King James of Scotland ascended the thrones of both Wales _and_ England as well – so from then on they shared a monarchy. They formed an act of union about one-hundred years later. So, if you are from any of those three countries, you can be known as British. However, somebody from Scotland cannot be known as Welsh, and somebody from Wales cannot be known as English etcetera."

She paused, looking over at Ahkmenrah expectantly, who remained silent.

"Well?" She pressed, folding her arms, awaiting his reaction.

"I think…" He said slowly after a few moments, gazing intently at the map. "I _think _I understand."

"Brilliant!" She smiled, pleased that she had managed to teach the Pharaoh a little bit more about the modern – well, sort of – world. She got the impression that he had never been taught much. "Now, let's move on to the _United Kingdom_-"

"Wait!" Ahkmenrah demanded suddenly, holding up his hand to halt her stream of words. She stopped abruptly, her mouth still open, before snapping it shut. "Before we move on to a different Kingdom, you still have not explained this… this…" he motioned towards the map, distressed, unable to remember the name of the region he was trying to point out.

"Ireland?" Effie answered for him.

"Yes. Ireland. You said you would explain why they are split."

"Well yes, but that falls under the United Kingdom more than anything else."

"What… _explain._" Ahkmenrah sighed, desperately confused. Why didn't this little collection of countries simply go by their names, instead of all these different titles? Surely it must be far too confusing for any foreigner to understand.

"Alright. Well, the United Kingdom is the name given to England, Scotland, Wales _and _Northern Ireland, as well as these small Islands here," she pointed on the map, "known as the Channel Islands, and here," again, she pointed, "called the Scilly Isles. Another act about two hundred years ago combined Great Britain and Ireland – the whole of it – but the Irish Free State – now the Republic of Ireland here in the South, you see here – broke away some time later, and formed its own government. There was a Civil War attempt at reuniting it with the United Kingdom at one point but it failed."

"So the United Kingdom is simply Great Britain and Ireland – ah, _Northern _Ireland – combined. Along with these Islands."

"Precisely!"

Ahkmenrah let out a long breath. Trying to get his head around the complicated geography of this United Kingdom had left him feeling as if he had spend the time running.

"That _is _complicated." He admitted, and Effie laughed, nodding in agreement. She was secretly pleased, however, as she always was when she felt cleverer than somebody else.

"If you think _that's _bad you should hear about the Commonwealth."

"Which is?"

"The same region again, but with _more." _

"No! Please…" Ahkmenrah almost begged, half-laughing and half-despairing. Effie giggled at his expression before planting her hands on the colossal globe and sending it spinning in a whirl of blue, green and yellow.

"I suppose I'll have to leave that for another time."

"I have a question, if I may?" He asked her politely, stepping down from the desk and back onto the tiled floors, before turning back to offer his assistance.

"Ask away." She replied, taking his outstretched arm and hopping down off the desk neatly.

"So – and tell me simply please, _without _diversion – where is it you are from again?"

Effie almost laughed aloud at the reminder of the question that had got her teaching geography to the Pharaoh in the first place. How much she had rambled!

"England." She answered. "But I do have a bit of Welsh in me, I believe. On my Mother's side."

"And your accent is…?"

"English. Southampton. _Upper class_ Southampton anyway. Not everybody speaks like this in the city either."

"And mine is?"

"Very upper class Cambridge."

"Excellent. But how did you come to be in these Great United States?"

"'_These Great United States?_' You must have been listening to Teddy. Um, well it's another very long and complicated story. You don't want to hear it."

"Well surely I've just proved that I am capable with the long and complicated?" The king joked, motioning back towards the globe. His expression suddenly turned more serious, however, and his tone softened. "Unless it is too personal."

"No, it's not that." Effie sighed, tracing patterns on the tiles with the toes of her shoes. "I mean, I'll tell you if you want, but it wont be interesting. Not to a _Pharaoh _of all people," she said only half-jokingly.

"Why don't you allow this _Pharaoh _to decide for himself?"

"Fine," she admitted hesitantly, before perking with an idea and turning to face Ahkmenrah keenly. "But on one condition."

"What is it?" The sovereign replied slightly warily.

"I get to ask you something about yourself as well."

"Alright." Ahkmenrah answered after a moments pause. It was a fair enough deal to make, as long as she didn't try to probe _too_ deeply into his personal affairs. There were certain things he didn't like to tell anybody. "But you begin."

* * *

**Long. Yes. I am sorry. And there was more, as well, but I decided after 3500 words that I would split it up to spare you the torture of having to sift through it all. Boring – yes I would say so to an extent, but I wanted to improve Effie and Ahkmenrah's relationship through general introduction. The whole 'explaining the concept of the United Kingdom' was to be an indicator of Effie's personality. Clever. Rambling. Likes to show off what she knows and has go follow through with something when she has started it. I assure you she will go into depth on the Commonwealth at some-point, but I wont make my readers have to observe that. **

**By the way – I tried to be as accurate as I could with the explanation of the British Isles and it's many terms, but if you find something incorrect please do beat me with your words. **

**Shoutouts:**

**TTCyclone: Thank you! You made me feel much better about it :) And yes, poor Nicky. He is in for some disappointment! **

**Pinkxjellybean: Effie's brain is a marvellous thing. **

**Thornedbudx: I love the French Revolution, and I just had to put it in there! Along with the reference to the siege of Constantinople :) **

**Book of Belior: Thank you! I don't think I've ever had anything of my called 'amazing' before :) Much appreciated! **

**Keep them coming, please! **

**And finally PLEASE DO READ THIS**

**I am planning on posting another story in the NATM forum, but wanted your approval first. A short summary: **

_**Trapped afterhours in the tomb of a certain King one summer's afternoon, Saskia van Deman sings to herself to fight her fear. Ten years down the line, now near to the forefront of the Gothic/Alternative music scene, she has all but forgotten the event. But Ahkmenrah hasn't. **_

**It would be an OC story – mainly centring around the first NATM, but with a slightly different setting and sequence of events. It would also feature Kahmunrah and possibly a love triangle, seeing as people seem to be quite fond of those. Just in the rough. I've got nothing down on paper yet, but the seed of an idea has taken form. Let me know what you think please. **

**Rage xx**


	10. Effie Upsets the Pharaoh

"Well, you see I had lived in England all my life," Effie began, sitting cross-legged on the floor opposite the wheely chair in which Ahkmenrah was residing. He had offered her the seat but she had declined politely, insisting that she was much more comfortable as she was. "I lived there until I was about nine years old. You understand the modern concept of years, don't you?"

Ahkmenrah nodded. Larry had partially explained all that to him at the very beginning.

"Well, it all changed with an accident, unfortunately. A very sad accident."

"What sort of accident?" Ahkmenrah asked curiously, and Effie sighed somewhat sadly, her expression turning slightly distant.

"Well, actually, my parents both died." She admitted, her lips pressing together, and Ahkmenrah was suddenly unsure of what to say. "A house fire."

"Ah…" he tried, nodding slowly. "I see. My condolences…"

Effie shrugged, blinking rapidly, before continuing on.

"Anyway, I was given to a foster family to look after me. I had no other relations you see. Both of my parents were only-children and both sets of grandparents were long gone by then. A foster family is simply a 'temporary family.' People who volunteer to look after me and get paid for it. I was too devastated by my loss to get to know them properly to start with, as you may imagine. I thought that my parents – wherever they were. Are. – Might hate me for replacing them. I soon realised that was silly and untrue, grew used to my foster parents and began to quite like them. The feeling must have been mutual as they adopted me, before bringing me back here to the United States – where they were originally from. I'm technically Effie Trident now, but I much prefer to keep my parent's name – Kensington."

"Do you ever miss your home country?" Ahkmenrah asked carefully, not wanting to hit anything too sensitive. Effie didn't seem to mind however, and she nodded vehemently in response, her expression firm.

"I miss England a _lot._ Especially Hythe – a little village near Southampton where I lived with my parents. The school I went to there was a Public School*, and so was very good, and I fitted right in. My foster parents were unable to afford to pay the tuition for a Public School and I had to go to a state school instead. A state is simply funded by the government, and practically anyone can attend whether they are as thick as posts or not. Naturally, it was rubbish, and everybody made fun of how I spoke, and how clever I was. I hated it."

"And what about the school here?"

"Erm…" Effie began, squinting as she thought. "It's what I would call mediocre. It's not as bad as the state school in England was, but it is still quite rubbish. It's government run as well, although it's actually also known as a Public School. A Public School here in America is something different to a Public School in England though."

"Do people still make fun of your speech?" Ahkmenrah probed, suddenly quite keen. Seeing as his accent was similar to that of Effie, he would be able to gauge by her answer whether or not he should have problems with his own should he one day be able to go out into the modern world, somehow.

"Some people do, yes." She answered frankly, her expression souring. "There is one girl in particular who wont let it go, but I can find comfort in the fact that she is thicker than clotted cream, and will go nowhere. There's no chance of her marrying into wealth either as she is far too fat and ugly. One day I hope to hire her to clean my toilets."

Ahkmenrah was slightly taken aback but never-the-less amused at this comment. He hadn't expected to hear something so catty and spiteful from Effie's mouth, of all people.

"Is that not somewhat harsh to say?" He tried hesitantly, feeling that he had to. "Insisting that another girl is too ugly and idiotic to succeed?"

"_No_." She snorted vehemently, shaking her hair over her shoulders. "There are only two things that will get you anywhere, Ahkmenrah. Beauty, or Intelligence. Tara is unlucky enough to have been graced with neither, and so will fail in life."

"And I suppose you have both," Ahkmenrah finished for her, raising his eyebrows slightly. Self-assurance radiated in waves from this girl. She was unlike any child he had ever known, in that manner. Effie narrowed her eyes challengingly at the Pharaoh, mistaking his statement for sarcasm, and sat up a little straighter, her brow furrowed as she met his gaze defensively.

"I don't think I have the Beauty, _actually, _but I _know _that I've got the intelligence. You can scorn all you want, and think I'm as boastful as you like, but I know I've got the brains to go anywhere or do anything, and it would be pointless for me to believe otherwise. I know far more about everything than anybody else my age, that I know of, and that's a fact."

Ahkmenrah gazed down at her silently, unsure of whether to be vaguely insulted by the tone in which she had addressed him, amused at her attitude, or both. Effie seemed to think that she had spoken a little out of place, and winced, her expression turning regretful.

"Sorry…" she said apologetically, glancing back up to meet the gaze of king. "It's just, I'm so tired of getting it for being clever, and I naturally get very defensive when my intelligence is questioned."

Ahkmenrah pretended to remain somewhat stern, but was finding it difficult to hide his smile. Having a conversation with this girl could never be uninteresting, that was for certain. She seemed far too spirited and dynamic for that. She would have been wasted as a female in his time - much like another little girl he used to know, he suddenly remembered.

"Worry about it not." He answered after a moment, before sighing and settling back in his chair. His expression had turned suddenly and startlingly distant for a moment, but for now it snapped back to how it usually was; calm and collected. "Now, I believe I have to uphold my end of the bargain. What do you wish to know about myself?"

Effie paused for a few moments, her head cocked on one side, lips poised as she pondered. She hadn't really thought about what she was going to ask, but why not start at the basics?

"Tell me about yourself." She said decidedly, shifting slightly and stretching out her legs across the cold tiled floor. She had refused the chair out of courtesy, but it definitely looked more comfortable than her current position. Her bum was beginning to ache.

"That," Ahkmenrah started firmly, "is not a question."

"Alright, let me rephrase it then; Who are you, exactly? And what was your life like?"

"That is _two _questions-"

"Oh shush up!" Effie complained crossly, blowing a strand of ginger hair out of her eyes. "You know what I'm asking."

"Yes, however I feel the question is slightly too personal. I thought you would ask something about being a King, or my land itself."

"I already know those sort of things, Ahkmenrah. I want to know about you. Besides, I told you some things quite personal to me. Not even Nicky knows as much as you do now."

"You hardly told me anything."

"It was still personal!"

Ahkmenrah hesitated, none-the-less. He was reluctant to share what he had left of his memories of his life all those millennia ago – especially with a young girl. However, if what she had claimed about her own revelations was true, Akhmenrah did owe her something, at least.

"I will tell you about fractions of memories." He finally agreed, and Effie shifted her position slightly in an attempt to get more comfortable.

"Don't tell me things like, 'I was born here, and died like this,' etcetera. I already know all that." She warned him, and Akhmenrah raised an eyebrow, sceptical.

"Do you now?"

"Yes, I do. You were thought to have been born sometime in the fifteen-twenties BC. You were reported to have died due to a head injury due to scans showing several contusions across the back of your skull. That was never one-hundred percent confirmed, however…"

She glanced up at the King expectantly, who met her gaze, somewhat perplexed.

"I am afraid I cannot confirm either statements. – My memories do not cover my death nor do I yet fully understand this dating system that you use. How, though, did you get hold of this information?"

"Ever heard of the internet?" Effie replied after a moments thought, already anticipating the Pharaoh's answer.

"No, I have not."

"Never mind then." Effie shrugged, twizzling a strand of her hair around a finger. "You'll just have to take my word for it."

"How many people have access to this 'internet'?"

"Oh, Millions! Billions even!" Effie exclaimed, and Ahkmenrah felt uncomfortable. What more information regarding himself could these millions of people see? He decided to voice the question out loud.

"Oh not much." Effie assured him, shaking her head. "Not much is known about you really. You're tomb was robbed of most of it's contents shortly after you were buried, and there are very few written records of you. You're one of the lesser known Kings."

"Lesser known?" He challenged, slightly defensively.

"Well, you know." Effie explained awkwardly. "You're only famous for having a mummy and a pretty tablet. You're hardly one of the big-shots, like Tutankhamun, Akhenaten and Ramses the Great."

"A 'pretty tablet' that brings objects to life!" Akhmenrah protested, his brow furrowing and his body-language radiating a new arrogance. Effie glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, and chose her next words carefully.

"Yes, it does… but nobody but us knows that, do they?"

"What about my successes as a King? As a ruler?"

"As far as I've heard you only reigned for about a year or two. You couldn't really do anything spectacular in that time."

"I successfully took the throne after my father's passing and kept the country under stable control, if I remember correctly," Akhmenrah almost growled.

"Yes, like a whole load of others!" Effie exclaimed exasperatedly, reacting negatively and defensively to Akhmenrah's aggressive tone. . "You didn't try to abandon the traditional Egyptian gods and introduce one of the first known records of monotheism; you didn't live for about ninety years and become one of the most celebrated Pharaoh's of all time; your tomb wasn't found it it's full glory with an iconic death mask over your face; Oh! And you weren't the last ever Pharaoh - partially responsible for the fall of Egypt to Rome, who possibly poisoned herself with an Asp. You were not that important!"

Following her declaration, there was a short but tense silence – Effie making up for the breath lost in her little tirade and Akhmenrah staring thunderously down at her.

"I've have not ever been spoken to in such a way before. Nor have I ever had my significance questioned," He said quietly, but stonily, after a few moments. Effie simply shrugged.

"You're not my king." She intoned a touch sulkily – her natural emotive response when she felt she'd gone maybe a little bit too far with something.

"It doesn't take being a King to deserve respect." He replied in icy tones, before pushing himself out of his chair and turning on his heel without another word – marching with all the pomp of royalty up the stairs and no-doubt back to his tomb. Effie stayed where she was, sitting quietly, picking at a fingernail, her lips pouted and her face taking on a red flush. Regret at her words was already beginning to gnaw at her gut, despite her internal appeals that she had only been telling the truth. Maybe she hadn't had to make all those comparisons, and calling someone who obviously thought quite highly of himself 'unimportant' was probably a little harsh. It was the same as when people tried to insult her intelligence, she suddenly realised, remembering how much she hated that. She instantly wished she'd thought of that before, but her tongue had always been sharp and quick to respond without much reason.

Effie sighed then, and crossed her arms across her chest tightly, hating how mean she was suddenly feeling. It certainly didn't feel nice to know that she'd upset generally one of the kindest and most sincere people in the museum – that was for sure.

* * *

**Oopsies. Effie can be quite a meanie. Curse her cutting-edge tongue.**

**Not much about Akhmenrah's life in this – that will come later. I will warn you in advance that I will have to alter history slightly to do this seeing as he didn't actually exist. I might have to invent some random new dynasty. I'll work it out somehow. **

***I gather that a Public School is a non-fee-paying and government owned school in the US? In the UK it is normally a fee-paying school, or at least one that requires an entry test to attend. A Private school is the big fancy one where money talks more than intelligence. A state school is a government owned one, I believe. The kind where it depends on where you live as to which one you attend. Catchment areas and that. I hope I got that right, anyway – I don't live in the UK any more. **

**Thank you to:**

**Rumbleroar's-apprentice: I'm glad your computer is fixed, and thank you for the compliments :) I'm trying to introduce as much Effie/Ahk interaction as I can. Thank you for approving my other story as well :D**

**Mamalita: I'm glad you liked the accent thing! It took a while to put down right!**

**TTCyclone: Thank you for support with the other story again! And I'm glad you like the ranting/drabble :D I need to establish a good relationship between Effie and Ahk before I can take this any further, although I'm working on making the procedure a little quicker than planned. Bear with me!**

**Thornedbudx: Again, thank you for support with the other story. And I'm glad you understand the whole, UK/Britain thing!**

**LuvDanceGirl: Hopefully I got it all right and you have a headstart in Geography! Feel free to blame me if you fail though XD**

**Pinkxjellybean: I could have done something more interesting with the globe scene, yes. Gah well. I might go back and edit it later. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Tybs23: Effie is just exceptional :D Thank you for the blessing, and I'm glad you think I've got the personalities right. I find it hard to do Effie sometimes, because I'm so desperate to get you guys to see her how I see her!**

**You know the drill, everybody. Reviews – whether flames or whatnot. **

**Love you all :)**

**Rage x**


	11. Larry Resolves Things

Ahkmenrah had regretted storming from the lobby as soon as he had done it. It had been unprofessional and childish – he should have chosen to instead remain and show that naïve little girl just how incorrect she had been. Unimportant! How that had stung. He knew his reign had been short lived, but there was nothing 'generic' about it. Why simply the fact that he had even survived until his second year had been an achievement in itself, what with his eldest brother's attempt at bringing about civil war. He shouldn't let it get to him so much, he thought, as he paced the ground in front of his sarcophagus, his jackal guards noting his displeasure and watching on anxiously. She was only a girl, and a young one at that, and despite the seemingly endless knowledge she held in that heart of hers he knew that she couldn't possibly know _everything_ about him. Why, he didn't even remember most of it himself, so what could this so called 'internet' have on him three thousand odd years after his life? Nothing, he decided, coming to a halt. Absolutely nothing.

"Even so, I could always ask Larry." He murmured to himself, frowning, before starting off towards the exit to his tomb. One of his guards skipped hesitantly after him a little way, before he waved it back with a flick of his wrist an a commanding word. The corridors appeared deserted, Ahkmenrah noted to his relief – he didn't feel up to meeting anyone is his present state, much less bumping into that infuriating little Effie.

"Larry." He greeted the night guard, with a little more force than he had intended, when he eventually found him sweeping at some sand strewn across the floors in the African Mammals exhibit. Larry jumped and almost lost his footing as a result, the sand slippery between his sole-less shoes and the hard wood floor.

"Woah," he steadied himself, grinning at the Pharaoh, before letting the smile slip from his face as he noticed Ahkmenrah's less-than-happy expression. "Are you alright, Ahk?"

"Who am I?" The young King demanded as a reply, much to Larry's surprise, and the night guard hesitated for a moment, before answering.

"Uh… Ahkmenrah? Fourth King 'o the Fourth Kings?" He said it with a small smile, before letting it go when his friend didn't return it.

"How do you know?"

"How do I… Well, because that's what you told me. And Gus." He paused, frowning. "Is there something going on here, Ahk?"

"If I hadn't have told you who I was, Larry, and If Gus hadn't done so either, would you have known who I was?"

"Well there's a name plate by your coffin so- never mind." Larry cut his lame attempt at a joke short as the Pharaoh's expression took on an irritated setting. "Why do you want to know? You _are_ Ahkmenrah, right? We haven't had your mummy mixed up all this time?"

"Just answer my question please, Larry." Ahkmenrah responded impatiently, looking slightly upset. "Although I can already hazard an answer. You had no idea who I was before you met me, did you?"

"Well…no." Larry admitted after a moment, before hastily trying to amend himself. "However, I wasn't the smartest kid at school, so don't blame me!"

"I'm not trying to blame you for anything, Larry. I'm merely trying to work out whether I actually have any significance."

"What?" Larry was taken aback. "Course you do! You help me keep this place in order! You're a good friend and suitable role model to my son! Of course you're significant, buddy!"

"I'm talking about outside of the Museum. How much significance do I have there?"

"Not so much anymore," Larry started hesitantly, taking a step towards his friend. "I mean, as far as the world is concerned you've been dead for a good three-thousand years. I'd hazard that you were hella significant in your own time though."

"Yes," Ahkmenrah replied after a moment. "Yes I was."

He sighed and visibly slouched, his eyes turning somewhat distant and forlorn, before he glanced around and moved towards the vacant lion display, perching on the wood-lined edge. Larry watched him for a few moments, before heading over and sitting down next to him.

"What's bothering you, Ahk?" He asked quietly, nudging him slightly with his elbow. "Talk to me. What's brought this all on?"

"Effie." Ahkmenrah sighed, before realising how silly it sounded to admit that a young girl was the centre of his troubles. He tried to amend it. "Her attitude, Larry. What she says to me. She says I'm not important, and that nobody knows me! It's not true – It can't be. I was a King, Larry!"

"_That's _what's got you so down? Something a little kid tells you?"

"Well, is that not a good enough reason to be upset?" Ahkmenrah snapped, springing to his feet and pacing defensively. Inside he winced at how childish he sounded – at least to Larry. To himself it seemed a perfectly reasonable reason to be offended.

"Well, I don't know. I was expecting something like, 'my tablet's running out of power,' or, 'I just had a really crap memory,' or something."

"Well that doesn't appear to be the case. She's infuriating, Larry. She told me I meant nothing! And even compared me to other… Kings, I think. How dare she?"

"How was she comparing you? I mean, what did she compare? Your reigns or…"

"How well we are remembered." Ahkmenrah told him, coming back over to where the night guard was sitting. "She compared me to a few… one of them beginning with a T? Tun… tut-"

"Tutankhamun?"

"Do you see!" Ahkmenrah exclaimed, whirling to face the startled Larry. "You were aware of his existence, but not my own. Why is that?"

"Well everyone kinda knows who Tutankhamun was…" Larry stumbled awkwardly, instantly regretting his words as his saw his Pharaoh friend visibly slump.

"But not me."

"Hey," Larry said after a moment, getting up resting a hand on his friends shoulder. "If it's any consolation, Tut's only really that famous for having a fully intact tomb when it was uncovered. Oh, and for having a bunch o' physical defects as a result of his parents being siblings – not to mention him sleeping with his own sister." Larry wasn't really sure how true his words were, but he remembered seeing something about Tutankhamun, incest, and retarded children in an article online. Ahkmenrah would never know otherwise either. Larry noted suddenly that the young King was looking at him a sheepish sidelong glance. "What?" 

"I often engaged in intimate activities with one of my sister's also…"

"That's not the point, and I wouldn't want to know the details even if it was. What I'm trying to say, Ahk, is that even though you're remembered less, you're remembered for better things than Tutankhamun was."

"What sort of things?"

"Well, uh… well." Larry floundered for a moment, struggling to pull together even the tiniest details he had on his friend. After a moment, he gave up. "Well don't ask me that because I failed history as a kid. I couldn't even tell you a thing about the history of my own nation, that's how much I suck."

Ahkmenrah stared at him for a moment, perplexed, before tipping back his head and allowing a slight laugh. Larry let out a whoosh of breath and joined in, relieved, despite the fact that he was now the centre of his own joke.

"Besides," he said again after a moment, clapping the King on the back. "The most significant thing of all is that you're here. Now. Three thousand odd years after your death. Tut and the other's are just a bunch of raisins back in Egypt somewhere, and so can't hold a candle to you on that."

"What is a raisin?"

"It's kinda like a grape, but all dried out and wrinkly…"

"Oh, I see. And I suppose that is how I appear during the day?"

"Well…. Yeah." Larry admitted, turning red. "But you're still better! Maybe, less wrinkly… and…. Ginger…?"

"Thank you for trying." Ahkmenrah said with a smile.

"Effie?"

Up until the moment where her name had been called, Effie had deep in thought. She hadn't moved from her position in the lobby, jumping up into the desk chair aside, and had sat twiddling her thumbs and wondering whether to apologize to Ahkmenrah until the interruption. She whirled around quickly, the chair spinning as she did so, only to see the very King himself making his way towards her with the clack of his golden sandals. She read his expression warily, and was surprised to see no traces of his previous anger, instead replaced by what look like calm.

"Ahkmenrah, I-" She began, jumping to her feet, just as he repeated her name.

"Can I go first?" She asked him hesitantly, and he indicated that she should do just that. "Well," she started, taking a deep breath. "I just want to apologize, really. I shouldn't have said what I said, and I feel a bit horrid for it. You've been nothing but courteous – as you said – to me since my arrival, and I owed you more respect whether taking your title into account or not. I would very much like for you to accept my apology and for us to return to the friendly relationship we had. I understand if you do not, however…"

She trailed off as Ahkmenrah leaned back against the desk surface, perching opposite her and glancing up and over her head thoughtfully.

"Apology accepted, Effie, and I would be delighted to return to how things were. However, I would just like to let you now that I will no longer be in any way offended if and when my importance is questioned. Larry has spoken to me and put things into a little bit more of a perspective for me."

"Really, like how?" Effie asked curious, leaning forwards, and Ahkmenrah had to smile at how easily she could allow her inquisitive side to take over, despite all previous tensions.

"Oh, simply explaining how all that is important is that I am here now, whereas the others are not. I still live on – to an extent, whilst _'Tutankhamun'_ is a dried grape."

"A what?"

"You know, dry. Shrivelled. Dead."

"Oh right, like a raisin." She realised, before giggling. "You do realise that when you're not alive you're kind of…"

"Raisin-like?"

"Yes. Raisin-like."

"Have you seen me in my other form?"

"Yes!" Effie declared, swinging her legs and kicking against the chair wheels. "More than once. Do you know what you look like?"

"No, I don't."

"Would you like to?"

He hesitated.

"Well…"

"Have a think on it." Effie laughed, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, pleased that the bad blood between the two of them had all but dissipated. "I'll get a picture off a friend for you tomorrow, if you make up your mind."

"You will come back tomorrow?"

"I'll try. I'll beg Larry and Nick to let me stay at their house for another night."

"Good," Ahkmenrah found himself nodding, strangely pleased that the little girl would return. He liked her, he realised – despite her annoying tendencies to insult - or he would in the future at least. She was… entertaining. Interesting. Different, but yet so familiar at the same time. He couldn't quite place the feeling...

"Should we hug to remove any left over bad vibes from today?" Effie asked him suddenly, and he re-focused, somewhat confused.

"What?"

"You know, 'embrace.' So I can properly say sorry and you can definitely forgive me."

"Well, I… I mean, is that not a little inappropriate?"

"I don't see why not," she replied frankly, shrugging her skinny shoulders. "You're allowed to hug people you get on with. I do it all the time. Well actually that's a lie, but I probably would do if I had any friends."

"I see…"

"If you're completely opposed to it then that's fine, and I'm sorry for asking," she backtracked, blushing - looking embarrassed. Ahkmenrah felt a little bit guilty watching her, and decided to simply accept. If he wanted to understand the customs of this time he may as well start as soon as possible.

"No, it is fine. I just haven't… 'hugged,' a person before, I don't think."

"It's easy!" Effie declared, jumping to her feet and embracing him quickly. "See? From a friend to a friend. People do it all the time."

"Friend to a friend," He repeated as she stepped back once more, and he smiled. "It is a nice gesture."

"It is! And there are many more. Don't worry; I'll give you a course in twenty-first century. You'll be like a local in no time! Wait, that's a good idea! I'll be sort of like a teacher! I love teaching people things!"

"I would be honoured for you to teach me."

"Excellent!" Effie clapped her hands excitedly, her eyes gleaming at the prospect of sharing her knowledge. "We'll start tomorrow, but for now I need to find Nick – I have his food, and he'll be hungry."

She pointed her finger towards her back before snatching it from where it lay sprawled across the desk, pulling the strap over her shoulder.

"See you later!" She declared, waving her hand, and skipping off to wherever it was she was heading, no doubt already constructing a 'twenty-first-century,' lesson plan in her head. Ahkmenrah watched after her for a while with a small, amused smile, before shaking his head and gathering his robes, and making his own way.

**So hurray, they made up! And I made them hug. I like hugs. But was it strange for them to hug? Did it seem silly? Tell me if it did and I will kill it with fire! I was unsure about how it would seem… 0.0 **

**THINGS WILL MOVE FASTER I PROMISE! **

**I am aware that this has draaaaaggggeeeedddddd on with a whole load of fuck all taking place in the space of 11 chapters – Pinkxjellybean you have completed three different stories in the time it has taken for me to do just this - but I have a PLAN in my head now – whereas I was just going with the flowing before – and so can get it started. YES. I just don't want to crash straight into things and RUIN the story. If any ruinage takes place, BEAT me with your words, kind reviewers, and I will do damage control. **

**REVIEW ME. **

**And read the shoutouts. I love doing them :) I don't know why. I am on crack. **

**Pinkxjellybean: Effie's past is a sad one :'( **

**TTCyclone: Effie will never learn, but people will just have to get used to her :) LOL Bears. I like bears. Except ones that kill you. **

**Thornedbudx: YES, I got it right :) This pleases me! I'm going to be constantly asking people if I got things right, or how things work in the US etc. simply because I have never ever been. And apparently Americans and English culture is very different. Well I suppose I know it is having watched television, but then how much of that is just a load of crap? Anyway, I'm drifting into a TV debate, which is bad. Thank you for the review :) **

**Tybs23: I like your reviews. They are nice and long. THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID – oh no shut up. Thank you for the information regarding schools – helps me very muchly. YOU UNDERSTAND EFFIE. That entitles you to a gold star. Or a biscuit. Or both, if you prefer. Maybe even a biscuit with gold stars on it, although that will not do, as it WILL NOT DIGEST. **

**LuvDanceGirl: They made up! I am all about customer satisfaction. Do you like dancing, by the way? And that is not me taking the piss, that is me asking a serious question as I quite like dancing too. **

**REVIEW ME AND I WILL FEEL LOVED. **

**P.S By the way, does anybody know what a Pixie Stick is? **

**Rage**


	12. Civilisations and Leaders

Over the next few months Effie stayed true to her promise, and slowly but surely educated Akhmenrah in all that was twenty-first-century. She tried to give him an accurate but somewhat brief explanation of key events in History that had shaped the planet she knew, but was forced to ask the assistance of the various other exhibits around who didn't object constructing an impromptu class. In a way, Effie decided, it was better for Ahk (as she had taken to calling him – Ahkmenrah could be a little bit of a mouthful) to hear experiences through those who had orchestrated or been a part of them themselves, but she _did_ have to step in and debate over some points when the teaching became too one sided or biased. The most challenging explanation had been her attempt and the first and second world wars, as Ahk had seemed completely unable to get past her descriptions of tanks, guns and aeroplanes. She dreaded the day she would move on to the Cold War and the Weapons of Mass Destruction. How did one explain the workings of a nuclear missile to a man with no knowledge of modern sciences?

Her relationship with Nick Daley also blossomed to the point where she was around at his apartment almost every weekend. Larry didn't mind at all, as it provided an effective distraction for his son that kept him from giving him grief over his increased focus on Daley Devices, as he had decided to call his company (and quite cleverly, he thought.)

The museum visits also gave Effie escape from the increasingly troubled environment that was becoming her home. Her step-father still hadn't found a suitable job – flitting from one thing to the next – and money had become more of an issue than it had ever been before. Effie could only comfort herself with the fact that she had quite a large inheritance from her true parents waiting for her as soon as she turned eighteen, but of course it was untouchable until then.

Her past and present was another source for topic in her conversations with the Pharaoh, and she had become increasingly open with him after her first revelation. She had had to explain the idea of foster families and adoption, and although he had found it confusing he could still recognise that Effie hadn't exactly had it easy. He found himself growing fonder and fonder of the young girl, despite the age gap, and thoroughly missed her and her lessons on the days when she was unable to make her visits. The enthusiasm to learn and question everything that he had once found tiresome he now found refreshing, and he had grown to enjoy the satisfied expression on her face when she discovered something new. The first time he had let her handle his tablet had been the best of all, and although she had refused to admit it Ahkmenrah suspected that Effie realised its true magic and power after feeling it for herself. She had certainly been awestruck, captivated by it's glow as she had stared into it's depths, and Ahkmenrah had had to shake her out of her apparent trance.

The museum had begun to change over the months as well – Mr. McPhee had become increasingly enthusiastic over a new 'Civilisations,' exhibit that would see the introduction of up to twenty new wax models. It was an ambitious project and required the clearing of a new room, and it was anticipated to be a big new attraction when it finally opened to the public. Larry was more concerned about the changes it would bring after dark, and had been haggling McPhee for a finalised list of the new models to no end. It wasn't until mid-May when he finally received it.

"Guys, come and look at this!" He called out to nobody in particular as he sat flicking through his blackberry emails at his lobby desk one night. "I've got the names of our soon-to-be party members!"

Effie, who had been chatting to Nick and Akhmenrah nearby, was by his side in a matter of seconds, with the other two following curiously. She took the phone from Larry's hands and started to scroll down the list, biting her lip anxiously.

"What does it say?" Nick nudged her, craning for a look. "Read it out!"

"Alright, hang on." She muttered, pushing him back, furrowing her brow as she continued to scan the text.

"Comon', Effie! Don't leave us hangin' here!" Jedediah called from somewhere at her feet, having appeared along with Octavius. Nick glanced around to see a few more exhibits crawling closer, curious as to who would be joining them.

"Alright. It's not _too _bad, I don't think." Effie sighed after a few more impatient minutes, nodding slowly, before reeling off the list to the others,

_Catherine the Great of Russia, _

_Elizabeth I of England,_

_Ramses II of Egypt – _At this, Nick, Larry and Effie all glanced quickly at Akh, whose eyebrows cocked in interest.

_Isabella of Castile and Aragon_

_Julius Caesar, Emperor of Rome_

_Alexander the Great,_

_Wu Zeitian, Empress of China, _

_Fatih Sultan Mehmed II, Ottoman,_

_Otto Von Bismark of Germany,_

_Vladimir Lenin of Russia,_

_Napoleon, Emperor of France,_

_Xeres I, Persia, _

_Boudicca, Queen of the Iceni Tribe (Wales Today) _

_Empress Theodora of Byzantium,_

_Mao Zedong, China_

_Eleanor of Aquitaine, _

When she had finished reading, there was a silence – the exhibits unusually quiet.

"Well I don't know about you guys but I have nooo idea who any o' them fellas are!" Jedediah suddenly exclaimed loudly from the floor, grinning around. A few others nodded in agreement.

"I have to agree with our western friend, Effie." Teddy proclaimed from the back. "I myself an unsure of a great many of those people." More nodding.

"Well, like I said, it's not too bad." Effie started, pushed her hair off her face. "We'll probably need to keep an eye of Mao and Lenin, but I think the others will be alright. I don't know a great deal about all of them either I suppose, but I do know whom we will be fine with. Queen Elizabeth shouldn't be a threat. Probably not Theodora, or Bismarck. Me and Nicky will do some research on the others tonight. "

"Xeres will be a huge problem!" Nicky exclaimed, his eyes wide. "Have you seen 300! He's a lunatic in that!"

"Nicky, that's a film." Larry interrupted, shaking his head. "It's not supposed to be historically accurate."

"Is this the finished list?" Effie asked him, and Larry shook his head.

"McPhee said it's still subject to change. He might be adding one or two more. It seems a bit too random to be final."

"I know, right!" Nicky agreed. "Who the heck is Boudicca anyway?"

"You'll find out." Effie sighed, not wanting to explain. She handed Larry back his blackberry and pushed her way out of the gathering crowd, searching out a bench and resting her tired feet for a while. Ahkmenrah followed and joined her quietly, neither saying a word.

"You are concerned." Ahkmenrah broke the silence, stating it as a fact more than a question.

"Just a bit," Effie replied. "I just don't want anything bad to happen here. One or two of those people aren't exactly known for being… humanitarian."

"I am sure all will be well. Larry is perfectly capable of bringing order. He has done so before."

"Yes I know," she sighed, slumping slightly. "I would just hate to see the museum ruined. I love it here so much. It feels like home, and I'm sort of protective of it, you know? I don't want anyone new to come and spoil it all."

"I understand, Effie, but your concerns are most likely fruitless. All will be well. I am sure of it."

"I really hope you're right Ahkmenrah. I really do."

* * *

It was only a day later when McPhee was reviewing security tapes in his office when the first change was made. It started with his sudden urge for a walk, to him ending up in the Pharaoh's tomb, and then his taking of the tablet from its case and his staring down at it for a moment. He wasn't sure what it was that made him do so, or why he did it. All he knew was that moments after putting it on-so-carefully back he had a sudden and urgent need to add one more name to that exhibits list he was due to send off that afternoon.

* * *

**I am so very sorry for the massive delay of chapters. School is just hectic, let me tell you. I have so many deadlines and much less time for writing. I have also been juggling lifeguard training, scuba diving qualifications, model United Nations conferences, Student council meetings, and the stress of having gotten my self a brand new boyfriend. Please accept my apology.**

**I hope you enjoy the chapter – It's all starting to move forwards now. **

**Rage**

**xxxxx**


	13. Keep Calm and Carry On

"Carefully, CAREFULLY! These figures are being used for display, not as candles!" McPhee called patronisingly across to the deliverymen who, in Effie's opinion, were handling the heavy crates holding the new wax exhibits perfectly fine. They each gave the weighty curator a dark look before resuming the task, going out of there way to stumble and wobble at every opportunity. McPhee threw his hands into the air and stormed into his office with a squeak, and Effie couldn't help but giggle.

"He needs to calm down a little bit," she told Nicky, sitting beside her. "He's going to give himself a heart attack one of these days!"

Nicky nodded silently in agreement, slurping at a Coke. It was his third one that afternoon as he wanted to make sure that he would be fully awake to check out the new arrivals. Effie had already given him the lecture on the damage to his health and blah blah blah but he wasn't too bothered – besides, Effie's habits of skipping meals altogether _had _to be worse than a few cokes! He could see all of her ribs when she inhaled!

"I think this is all of them." Larry told the pair as he counted out the boxes – seventeen in total. ***A/N AT THE bottom. **

"Still got one more, man." One of the deliver guys called out – a typical 'dude' if there ever was one. Chin stubble, long hair, and skater-hat on backwards; check! Larry frowned; flipping through the list McPhee had given him, and shook his head.

"No… It says here that we're only getting seventeen figures. There are already seventeen in here."

"Dude, there's definitely another box." The deliveryman replied, assured, before heading back out to wherever the lorry was parked to go and fetch it. Nick and Effie looked at one another and shrugged, before heading over to Larry.

"McPhee said he would make changes, remember?" Nick prompted his Dad, nudging him with an elbow.

"Yeah, but he also said he'd keep me informed."

"I guess he just forgot. He's been really stressy and weird lately."

"Even more than usual," Effie added.

"I guess so," Larry sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I was just prepared for the seventeen written down, y'know? We did our research and stuff… now we've got an unknown newbie and next to no time to figure out how to deal with them!"

"You never know – they could be alright." Effie pointed out, and Nicky nodded firmly.

"Yeah, it's probably like Mother Teresa or someone."

"Well here they are," Larry muttered as the crate was brought in, and the trio moved towards it eagerly, looking for the nametag. They each read it in turn before glancing at one another slowly, confusion shining broad on their faces.

"Marie… Laveau? Who is she?" Nick asked, turning towards Effie.

"I have no idea… which could either be a good thing or a very bad thing."

"Good in that most evil people are remembered.' Larry pointed out, visibly relaxing. "Besides, she sounds French. There are no cruel French."

"Um, Robespierre anyone? The Guillotine?"

"Good point. Effie, Nicky - research time."

* * *

In the end Nick and Effie discovered that Marie Laveau had been a practitioner of Voodoo and Witchcraft in New Orleans in the 19th century, most famous for her apparent manipulation of a Court with the use of strategically placed charms. Nothing about her seemed too threatening – much to the pair's relief – although they were baffled as to why she would be included in a Civilisations and Leader's exhibit. When they got round to questioning McPhee he had only offered a vague answer;

"Well, you know, we might install a mystic exhibit at some point."

Three hours later and only moments before sunset, Larry, Effie, Nicky and Rebecca were stood nervously in the lobby waiting for the tablet to work it's magic. The crates lay in their original positions but with the lids un-nailed and removed so as to minimise the level of panic that was likely to ensure. Larry hadn't actually wanted Nick and Effie to be present in case something did go down, but they won him over in arguing that he needed all the help he could get. Other exhibits like Teddy, Sacajawea and the Civil War Guys had requested to be moved into strategic positions around the lobby also, so that when the sun finally set there would be even more extra help at hand. Ahkmenrah had wanted to be there also, but Larry had told him firmly that there was 'no way in hell' that they were going to even try to get his sarcophagus downstairs. Nobody had particularly wanted to be responsible for the dangers of moving such a delicate artefact as Ahk's remains either. Instead, he had promised to race down as soon as he could.

"Just under a minute, guys. Get ready,' Larry told the others solemnly, shifting his position slightly so as to keep the youngsters behind him. Rebecca did the same. The group watched with baited breaths as the last of the sunlight filtered through the great stain-glass windows above the door, before fading slowly and then out.

Almost instantly the wooden crates began to rock and shake in turn, and with multiple showers of polystyrene peanuts and splintered pieces of wood, their contents began to emerge.

The first exhibit to make herself shown was the Empress Theodora. She sat up and glanced around quickly and apprehensively, before struggling to her feet under a sea of the scarlet velvet and silk. A small ceremonial crown sat perched on top of well-oiled ringlets of the darkest brown – an ornate and thick band of gold with a red velvet dome on top, finished off with a Royal seal of gold protruding from the tip on a short rod. Two strings of bead like gems fell over her shoulders from either side of the crown, with a mixture of pearl, gold and some unidentifiable blue stone. Her attire itself was impressive; a great curtain of red velvet with gold thread trimming at the foot, a thick collar of gold and even more gems hanging just above her breasts. Her light blue gaze was clear yet watchful as it fell on the group of four with a wary confusion.

Three more exhibits made themselves apparent next, and Effie hazarded a guess at the identification of Fatih Sultan Mehmed II – a personal historical interest of hers – made distinguishable by the ornate Tugra, or signature, stitched across his chest, Mao Zedong – quiet and watchful in his simple oriental attire, and Isabella of Castile and Aragon with her reddish blonde hair and pale complexion that Effie had read about.

One by one, the others emerged – each of them as wary and afraid as the next. The only exceptions that seemed unperturbed were those of Lenin and Queen Elizabeth the First, with the first wandering around with a kind of intrigued enthusiasm and the latter remaining both regal and composed with high shoulders and a firm set of the lips. Xeres was the only one to create an initial stir – thrashing and yelling wildly in his confusion until a few of the Civil War Guys had him locked still, and Larry was surprised at how well the initial shock had gone down with the group.

"Is that all of them?" Nicky muttered quietly, and Effie shook her head.

"No – someone is missing."

They were suddenly interrupted by a muffled thud from the far side of the lobby, and everyone craned their necks to find one unopened crate remaining, the occupant clearly struggling with his escape. Larry and the others hurried over quickly, with Teddy on their heels, and the night guard quickly pulled the lid up with a small grunt.

The others were greeted with the sight of a very flustered and pink-cheeked Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of Great Britain and icon of England's Second World War memories.

"Help me out of here, will you? It's rather tight for me, I'm afraid!" He boomed, holding out a thick hand, and Larry grabbed it quickly and gave it a pull. Churchill was enormous, of course, but Larry tried his best to conceal the obvious strain of helping the character to his feet. Once he had managed, the Prime Minister stepped awkwardly out of the crate, before brushing his dark suit down briskly and glancing around with a baffled twist of the head.

"Where am I?" He demanded, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and mopping his brow with one hand, the other reaching for a small metal flask in his trouser pocket that he was disappointed to find empty.

"You're in a museum, Mr. Churchill," Effie answered for him, and he glanced at her quickly. "In the United States of America."

"The United States?" He boomed, looking around again. "What the bloody hell am I doing here?"

"It's awfully hard to explain," Effie began again, but he cut her off quickly.

"You're not a Yank, are you? You sound like you're from home!"

"I'm English, yes."

"What are you doing here? Did we come together?"

"No-"

"Mr uh, Churchill?" Larry interrupted. "If you wait for a few minutes we'll tell everyone what's going on, okay?"

"Who are you?"

"I'll mention that too."

"Well hurry up with then, old boy! We're all getting rather impatient!"

"Right, everybody listen up!" Larry shouted out to the group, trying to emit a confidence that he didn't think he had. The exhibits all turned to him – a few in recognition of the language, but most just at the sound of his voice. "For those of you who understand me – and I don't think many of you do – welcome to this Museum. In the United States. Or the Americas. Does anybody know of the Americas?" He was greeted by a few mumbles. "Okay, put your hand in the air if you have heard of the Americas before!"

Lenin's hand was the first to shoot up, and Mao's followed shortly after. Queen Elizabeth the first raised hers slowly – as if she were unsure of the action – as did Napoleon, Otto Von Bismarck, Churchill, and Marie Laveau. Isabella of Castile looked as if she were listening attentively, with a faint glimmer of recognition. Effie guessed that language would prove a problem with most.

"Uh, good! Very… very good!" Larry called out slowly, before turning to Rebecca and hissing, "They don't know what the hell I'm saying!"

"Effie, what languages do you speak?" Nicky asked her, and she shook her head slowly.

"Not many very well." She answered, before glancing at the group. "I've learned French for a while, and a bit of Russian, but not much else."

"I did Spanish as a child," Rebecca jumped in, "So maybe I could help with Isabella?"

"It depends how much the language has changed since then. I mean, I think I could understand Queen Elizabeth the first, and she in turn could understand me, but it wont be easy."

"Ahkmenrah might be able to help with Ramses over there," Larry nodded towards the Pharaoh, who had remained silent and unmoving throughout the exchange. "But again, that will depend on language development. When did Ahk say he reined?"

"He didn't."

"Oh."

"We can still ask him." Rebecca pointed out, and the others nodded in agreement.

"But what do we do about the others?"

Nobody had an answer to this, and so they all remained quiet.

"I guess they might just pick it up in time." Larry shrugged, glancing around again. "Sacajawea did it, and so did a few others. It'll just take time."

"Haven't you mentioned that Mehmed guy to me before?" Nicky suddenly asked Effie, and she nodded. "Well then if you know so much about him, don't you know anything in his language?"

"Not really, Nicky. I only know a few words in Turkish, but Modern Turkish doesn't have much in common with Ottoman Turkish anyway."

"Oh." His shoulders slumped.

"Well for now we better just get stuff moving, you know?" Larry began lamely, noticing the impatient and increasingly hostile expressions of the newcomers. "Before we have a war or anything."

"How are we going to do this, guys?" Rebecca sighed, rubbing a hand across her head. "We can't even tell most of them where to go and what not. We can't even warn them about going outside!"

"Don't worry, Lady." Teddy reassured her. "Myself and a few of our faceless friends here will keep guard by the entrance. My best advice would be to talk to those you can, and gather all those who can help. Find the young Pharaoh – wherever he has got to – and introduce him to his countryman over there. As for the rest," he shrugged, before pulling himself back up onto his horse. "Treat it like it's a challenge."

The others watched as he rode forward, calling out directions to those who understood and pulling the older exhibits into action. Larry sighed and ran over to help, followed shortly by Rebecca, who immediately began to attempt conversation with the worried looking Queen of Castile. Nicky and Effie stood where they were, watching motionlessly. Effie felt her head begin to ache with the enormity of the task that followed.

A sudden tap on her shoulder had her turning around, and she found herself facing Winston Churchill once again, his expression one of ruddy encouragement.

"Now don't give up already, young Lady. We're British – that's not what we do. Do you know what our motto was during the war, when those bloody Fritz* were bombing our back gardens?"

Effie shook her head.

"'Keep Calm, and Carry On,' young Lady. We've faced harder challenges than this. Now go on and find this Egyptian fellow of yours! All the help we need!"

"Come on," Nicky grabbed her hand, and with a last wink in her direction and a tip of his hat, Churchill marched off to where the action was and clapped his hand on the shoulders of a stunned looking Ramses the Great.

* * *

**YES it has been forever since I updated. And for that I offer my most humble of apologies. Life has not been easy, you see. I didn't have Internet for a few weeks, actually, as I was on a research trip in Istanbul for my essay of Fatih Sultan Mehmed II! I also had to break up with that boyfriend I mentioned, and a whole lot of other things as coursework deadlines approach me. Ah well. **

***Fritz, was a term jokingly used to refer to the Germans by the British during World War 2. Especially during the bombings of London, or the Blitz. **

**I ALSO ADDED CHURCHILL TO THE LIST DESPITE THE FACT HE WAS NOT IN THE LAST CHAPTER SIMPLY BECAUSE I WAS DYING TO USE HIM! **

**Thank you everybody, and review shoutouts will start again next chapter. **

**IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT MY OTHER STORY; THE SOUND OF MUSIC. **

**I have had to cancel it, unfortunately, in relation to current events in the Middle East and of course, in Egypt. Now I know that sounds odd but the story was going to link in with Mubarak's government and corruption etc, and because that government is now gone - something I didn't predict and wouldn't include in my story, that is now impossible. **

**I didn't much like the story anyway, so no great loss. I am, however, incredibly proud of the Middle East at the moment, as having lived here my whole life it is nice to see people standing up and asking to be heard for once. Lets just hope that madman Gadaffi goes next! **

**Rage **

**xxxx**


	14. Ramses the Great

"Ahkmenrah! We need your help!"

Effie and Nicky burst into the Pharaoh's tomb and cried out their pleas in unison, causing the young king to almost drop the crown he had been turning over in his hands in surprise. He took in the flushed faces of the young pair and immediately assumed the worst might have happened with the welcoming of the new arrivals, and felt a pang of guilt at his delayed appearance despite his promise.

"What had happened? Is everybody alright?" He asked urgently, his face creasing in concern, but Effie simply grabbed his hand and started pulling him towards the corridors.

"I'll explain on the move but we must hurry. Things are getting a little chaotic!"

"Basically, we need you to try and talk to this other Pharaoh guy – Ramses? Have you heard of him?"

Ahkmenrah shook his head, before frowning suddenly.

"Was he not one of those more 'famous' Kings you mentioned to me, Effie?"

"Yes, yes, but that's not important. We just need to see if you and him speak the same language. I would think that you do – to some extent at least – but we really need help before things go all pear shaped."

Ahkmenrah didn't offer a response, but simply allowed himself to be dragged along by the young girl. He wasn't sure how he felt knowing that he was going to come face to face with a fellow ruler from his own lands – especially one that was more renowned than him. He certainly had never considered himself the leader of sorts in the museum, but he had held a certain… satisfaction in knowing that he was one of the only exhibits that had actually held a significant amount of power in his last life – and in the flesh and blood as well. He could only be grateful that this Ramses character was purely wax.

"Es a causa de un… artefacto magico," (_It's because of a magic…. Artefact)_ Rebecca struggled as she attempted to explain the mysteries of the museum to a disbelieving and still confused Isabella de Castile. "Hace los personas muertos vivos." _(It makes dead people alive! – a very literal translation into Spanish)_

Rebecca knew that after a ten year break from the language her Spanish was hardly perfect, and that her literal translations from English hastily made in her head were probably all the more puzzling to the Castilian Queen, but she saw her words sink in non-the-less and prayed that Miss Isabella would at least get the gist of what she was trying to say.

"Estoy… muerto?" _(I am… dead?)_

"Si! Pero, por la noche estas vivo. Debido a la magica." _(Yes! But at night you are alive. Because of the magic.)_

"Porque?" _(Why?)_

"No lo se. Es una magica muy Antigua." _(I don't know. It's a very old magic)_

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Effie, Nick and Ahkmenrah enter the lobby and felt a flood of relief at the sight of the young king. She had been half-watching Larry and Churchill's ordeals in trying to get the increasingly irritated-looking Ramses to follow them up the stairs but to no avail. At least now there was somebody to solve that little communications fault and get the legendary King to calm down. That would give Larry the opportunity to regain control of what had rapidly become a Bedlam-esque exchange between some of the new exhibits and the old. Xeres especially was already proving himself a problem.

"Ahk! Over here!" Larry called, and the trio rushed over – Ramses watching them with a sudden interest. He spied the crown of his Lower Lands resting atop of the head of the eldest looking of the group – as well as the small gold Cobra Uraeus fashioned to the front - and frowned, standing up a little straighter. Who was this man who wore the crown of the Two Lands? The crown that belonged to him?

"Akh – please try and talk to this guy. See if he understands you. I can't get him to do anything! He just waves us away like we're goddamn flies!"

"Alright Larry, I'll do what I can." Ahkmenrah assured him, before straightening his shoulders and turning to address the King with a mustered authority he wasn't entirely sure he possessed anymore.

"_Life, prosperity, and health Ramses - fellow king of our Lands."_

The addressed looked momentarily taken aback.

"_I see you are somebody who finally understands my tongue. Who are you, stranger, to wear the throne of my kingdom?_

"_A King like yourself, you will find."_

"_A king like myself?" _Ramses looked amused. "_There is only one ruler of the Two Lands, stranger, and the last I was aware it was myself – Begotten by Ra, Son of the Light. Protector of the rule of Ma'at and Powerful in His rule."_

It was obvious that the listing of royal titles was intended to intimidate the young King but Ahkmenrah stayed firm, patiently attempting to explain.

"_As it was myself Also –Living spirit through Ra, protector of the Two Lands, he who binds foreign countries and chosen by the God of Light. We were both great Kings in our time, Ramses, but now that time has passed."_

"_What are you saying?"_

"_We are in the future, Ramses. Resurrected by the powerful properties bestowed upon me and my tablet by the priests of Amun. The gift of immortality to myself and those around me."_

Ramses was silent for a few moments, watchful as he digested the information. Ahkmenrah was surprised initially that his story had not been debated, before remembering that a King of his times would have a far greater understanding and appreciation for old magic than the sceptical minds of this new era.

"_If this is true, then what lands are we in now?"_

"_Lands further north and west than we have reached, Ramses."_

"_Beyond the Great Green? Past Hellas? And Hatti?"_

"_Further – much further. We are in a great and influential Kingdom known as America. A great country of multiple nomes united. Her power reaches even the furthers corners of the globe – places where the Two Lands could only dream of acquiring."_

"_And who rules such a Kingdom? Where is their Emperor? Their King?"_

Ramses glanced past Ahkmenrah and scanned the crowds as if searching for this unknown leader.

"_There is no King. The system of leadership is different here. Rulers change every four or eight summers."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because the people of this land choose who they want to be ruled by. It is the same in almost every land in the world."_

"_Foolish. No government but one ruled by a Pharaoh can ever succeed. Who is the highest authority in this place? Yourself?"_

Akhmenrah shook his head, and gestured towards Larry.

"_This man."_

Larry snapped to attention and glanced between the two men, blinking rapidly.

"Wait, what? What are you saying?"

"That you are the highest authority."

"Don't you remember that talk we had a few months back when you tried to order the Knights about? There is no 'leader' in the museum, Ahk. We're all free people!"

"Larry, that is beyond explanation at this point. Ramses simply wants a quick answer to who is in charge, and you are the most likely candidate."

"Well… okay then." Larry shrugged before standing up a little straighter and smoothening the creases in his trousers. "Yeah… that's right. Tell him I'm in charge."

"_Him?"_ Ramses asked sceptically as he glanced at the night guard, a bemused smile playing at his lips. _"He looks as if he were weak. He does not have the stature of a King." _His eyes then travelled over Ahkmenrah's form and – much to the young Pharaoh's irritation – crinkled in badly concealed amusement. Akh had always been sensitive over his short and somewhat un-toned stature, and he held is head a little higher and tapped his crown in an 'absent gesture,' to remind King Ramses that he too was a God Incarnate. Ramses glanced at it in response but simply smirked further, before turning to scan the rest of the lobby.

"_You're ruler is not very efficient. His people are running amock." _

"_Today is somewhat chaotic. You are not the only one to have been thrust into this era abruptly."_

"_What are you doing about it?"_

"_Pardon me?"_

"_What are you doing about it, living spirit through Ra? You were a King, were you not? Help this leader of yours and show your authority."_

"_It's not as easy as that." _Akhmenrah replied impatiently, biting back his growing anger at Ramses. _"Half of them would not understand me."_

"_Well what about the other half that do?"_

Akhmenrah had no response, flushing under the patronising gaze of his fellow King. He turned abruptly and faced the maddening crowd, determined to show that even though he wasn't one of the so-called 'famous' Pharaohs he still knew how to command respect.

He cleared his throat loudly, chagrined at the little effect it had.

"Everybody…" He started, before stopping and sighing. It was too loud – nobody would hear him or pay him the slightest bit of attention. Why was it so hard to get a roomful of people's attention? Because it had been three thousand years since he had ever had to!

"_Do you need help?" _Ramses asked then, laughing, and that provided the motivation for Ahk to do what hid did next.

"Everybody** SILENCE!" **He roared – with far more force than was even necessary – and Larry, Effie and Nicky jumped at least a foot in the air. Churchill dropped his flask and turned around thunderously, scanning for whoever had made that abominable cry, and the Civil War Guys lowered their weapons in turn and looked towards the Pharaoh quizzically. Rebecca and Isabelle de Castile were pulled out of their disastrous conversation and shared a mystified glance, and Xeres even halted his mad struggling to raise an eyebrow. As Ahkmenrah felt each of the lobby occupants fall silent and turn their gazes on him the blood rushed to his cheeks and he felt as if he wanted to disappear with the humiliation. Why had he shouted so loud The situation hadn't even needed it – realistically. Ramses had just made it seem like it did. _He did it on purpose_, Ahkmenrah realised, glowering silently at the elder Pharaoh. _He wanted to make me look like a fool._

"Uh… you alright Ahk?" Larry asked cautiously, stepping over towards his friend and laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Simply fine, Larry. I was just… engaging the exhibit's attention for you."

"Um…Ok…"

Ahkmenrah glanced back at the crowd and – realising that they were all still silent – made the snap decision to go ahead with whatever his plan had been. _I'll show Ramses that I'm a Pharaoh. _

"For all of those who understand me, follow President Roosevelt here and the faceless soldiers to the hall of miniatures, where you will be addressed on your current situation. If you care for your own well being then you will _not_ attempt to cause any disruptions and will go willingly. No harm is meant to any of you."

A few dark mumbles and whispers began to arise, but nevertheless, the new and English-speaking exhibits began to filter out behind the Horse backed President, and even a few of those non English-speaking took it upon themselves to follow. Ahkmenrah smiled internally, pleased at how he had been able to turn around an uncomfortable situation.

"_Well done, stranger." _Ramses came up behind him and clapped him on the back. _"That is what a King can do when he takes the lead." _

"_I am aware of that, Thank you." _Ahkmenrah replied stiffly, before gathering his robes and storming towards the stairs - inevitably back to his tomb. Effie, Nick and Larry shared a knowing look, before Effie took off silently after him.

**Another chapter here – and up rather quickly I would say. I'm quite pleased about that – I usually leave months and months in between which is awful of me, I know. **

**Anyway, I got to introduce one of my favourite historical figures – Ramses! Yes I know he sounds like a bit of a… mean person in this chapter – To Ahk, anyway, but could that all just be a part of Ahkmenrah's both paranoid and increasingly jealous personality? Or is Ramses reluctant to forget his past as a King and planning to exert his authority as the one Pharaoh. Either way – look out for tension between our lovely Ahkmenrah and his more notorious co-patriot. **

**And look out for Marie Laveau! I know that some of you might be wondering WHY she was mysteriously added to the list, but prepare to be introduced to her in the next few chapters! I have big plans up my sleeve for her, and YES she is part of that original storyline mentioned in the summary box for this story. I just never had a name for the mystical stranger I was going to bring in, but I felt like she would just do perfectly! **

**SHOUTOUTS for my TWO reviewers… A little bit disappointing but I suppose I can't expect regulars if I don't upload for a few months. Still… try and review this time if you didn't before!**

**Thornedbudx****: YES WINSTON CHURCHILL! WINSTON CHURCHILL HAS ENTERED THE MUSEUM! I love him so much and I thought that there were SO MANY amazing things that I could do with him that he MUST be included. I warn you though – I am going to include all of his personality traits that are well known to the world. The strong and courageous leader, of course, but also the overweight alcoholic who roused up the laughs with his rude and sarcastic comments to certain ladies at parties and parliamentary opposition. My trip was brilliant, thank you, and I broke it off with the boyfriend myself so I'm not particularly sorry. Just a lot less stressed! Thank you for being one of my regulars! **

**Doodlechick1****2: Yes! I updated! And thank you for your review! I don't think I've heard from you before so welcome! And please review again! I hope you like this chapter!**

**Well that's it! Thank you my lovelies and REVIEW! I love getting feedback so much! I check my e-mail every ten minutes after posting a chapter! Don't disappoint me! **

**Adieu, **

**Rage**


	15. Dark Forces?

**STOP. **

**If the use of strong language offends you in any way then skip this chapter – but really it shouldn't because it's only one word so grow up pussy. **

**(Was that mean? I love you.)**

* * *

"Arrogant, egoistic individual," Ahkmenrah spat in a whirlwind of fury, stalking gloweringly in the space in front of his sarcophagus as he had been doing so for the past quarter of an hour. "Just because he's bigger, and reigned longer, and has _muscles_. I was a King too, Effie. I was a King too!"

"Yes, you were." She replied monotonously, fiddling with a string hanging down from hem of her skirt as she lounged against a decorated column. She felt for the young King - she really did – but his persistent pacing and random shouts of profanities were growing irritating. She had never heard Ahkmenrah swear – at least not profoundly – and so his first outburst of 'over-developed Asp fucker!" had both taken her by intense surprise and had her mind bending at the biological possibility of fornication with an Asp.

"That wasn't convincing." He remarked, glaring in her direction, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry, but I said it the first fifty times with adequate emphasis, didn't I?"

"All right, I understand, Effie." He sulked, rubbing his forehead. "I'm going on a bit, aren't I?"

"What gave you that idea?"

"He is simply too frustrating. The way he looked at me. Like I was nothing – worthless!"

"You've only known him for about half an hour, Ahk."

"Half an hour too long! He tricked me into making a fool of myself in front of everyone."

"It wasn't that bad. You're over reacting."

"You weren't the one talking to him! You don't even understand what it was we were saying so don't bother commenting on it."

"You," Effie started, pushing off the column and planting her hands on her hips angrily, "need to stop getting all bothered at everybody else when you're facing your own problems. It's not my fault Ramses made you feel inadequate."

"That's hypocritical coming from you, Effie. Might I remind you that almost every dispute we have had has been as a result of your own flouncy temper?"

"Just let it go."

"Get out."

"Excuse me?" Effie asked, astonished, and Ahkmenrah gestured roughly towards the doorway.

"Just… just leave me alone – please? Although I see why your blunt honesty may be appreciated it's not welcome at the moment."

"You don't wear humiliation well, Ahkmenrah. Has anybody ever told you that? You're acting quite bitchy."

"Don't swear."

"Alright Asp Fuc-"

"Just leave me!" He cried, exasperated. Honestly, this girl was infuriating. Lovable, but still infuriating. He wanted to mope on his own and lick at his wounds, not have this little red-head cut him further with her razor edged tongue. His demand seemed to have had some effect, however, as the little bombshell turned abruptly on her heel and stalked with all of the spirit a twelve-year old can muster towards the exit. He put his head in his hands and listened to the sound of her retreating footsteps, when they stopped suddenly.

"Can I help you?" He called out, not bothering to lift his head.

"No," Effie replied, her tone bemused. "But maybe your new best friend can."

Ahkmenrah lifted his head and felt his heart drop at the sight of Ramses the 'great' wandering in through the door, glancing around with that permanent bemused smile plastered across his smug face.

"Kill him," he hissed darkly at his Jackal henchmen guarding the door. "Crush him to a waxy pulp."

They didn't react.

"All right fine," he continued, still in a low whisper. "How about simply a grievous injury?" Nothing.

"_So this is where you now reside," _Ramses called out in the familiar tongue, stopping to study the inscriptions on the wall. "_The texts are incorrect, you know."_

"_So you can read the hieroglyphs now can you?"_

"_I was a royal scribe before I was a Regent. My father considered it an important rite of passage. Can you not read them?"_

"_No." _Ahkmenrah said after a moment, cursing his lack of ability. He like many kings before them hadn't seen reading as a necessity what with the scribes and servants in place to do all that for him. He knew the hieratic text at least.

"_And here lie your mortal remains." _Ramses continued as he approached the sarcophagus, running his hands over the gold exterior. "_How does it feel to know you have lost your afterlife?"_

"_Excuse me?"_

"_Your body has been removed from its final resting place. You are no longer surrounded by the necessities for a comfortable afterworld. Your place in paradise has been snatched from you – a heinous crime. And for what? An exhibition? A great injustice has been done to you, living spirit through Ra."_

"_And yourself? How do you know that your body hasn't been removed from your tomb?"_

"_I don't," _Ramses sighed, shrugging his great shoulders. _"I don't suppose I will ever know."_

"_You could ask her," _Ahkmenrah suggested, gesturing towards Effie who had been a silent observer to their conversation. "_She knows everything."_

"_She's very young," _Ramses observed, studying her silently for a few moments. He opened his mouth as if to continue, but seemed to change his mind.

"_Ask her if she knows of my fate."_ His command was brisk and short, and Ahkmenrah felt his irritation flare.

"_Is that an order?"_

"_Don't be childish."_

Ahkmenrah's cheeks flushed hotly, and he turned to Effie with a dark expression.

"His majesty the self-important would like to know as to where his 'fantastic' remains lie. Please tell me that they were burnt for a fire."

"Sorry, but no,' Effie shook her head with mock-regret. "His remains are intact and preserved somewhere in the Cairo museum. They're not available for public viewing."

Ahkmenrah begrudgingly relayed the information to Ramses.

"_It appears I have lost my afterlife also. Ah well, this tomb will make do for us." _

"_Pardon me, but 'us'?" _Ahkmenrah spluttered.

"_We will both fit, wont we?"_

"_This… this is __my __tomb! It was designed for me!"_

"_Are you going to deprive me of a place to stay?" _Ramses raised an eyebrow._ "Pharaoh aids the people, Ahkmenrah – weren't you ever taught that? He assists the weak, protects the widow, feeds the orphan, and responds to anyone who is in need. Trivial pursuits such as the need for luxury and the self-possessiveness of material matter should not touch him. Your own reluctance to share this room out of your own selfishness astounds me."_

"_That's not what I meant!"_

"_What did you mean?"_

"_I…I…" _Ahkmenrah was at loss for words. He didn't want to share his tomb because it was _his. _And because he didn't like Ramses. _"Is Pharaoh supposed to be egocentric as well, Ramses? Because if that is the case then you exceed requirements."_

Ramses frowned, before shaking his great head slowly.

"_You are very young, Ahkmenrah. It shows."_

* * *

Effie crept silently from the tomb at the sight of Ahkmenrah's new distress, not wanting to become involved. As fond as she was of the younger Pharaoh, and as much as uncomfortable as it was to see him humiliated, his spat with Ramses was something the two needed to sort out by themselves. She should have seen it coming. Both believed they were Gods and so two big personalities were bound to rub one another the wrong way. Hopefully they would learn to work with one another – Effie would have loved to have talked a bit to Ramses the Great, but she got the impression that if she did so at the moment Ahkmenrah would cease to seek out her company in protest.

"Child. I have been meaning to talk to you."

Effie jumped from her reverie, and glanced over to whomever it was who had spoken, noticing Marie Laveau propped up against the corridor wall for the first time. It was her first opportunity to properly study the mystical figure, and she was stunning – that was for sure – with the curves and features of an exotic African but the lighter skin tone of a mixed-race. Dark brown curls tumbled down from underneath a towering turban of red and gold, and a long pair of earrings brushed against her uncovered shoulders.

"Er… hello. Marie, isn't it?"

"You… have a spectacular energy about you," The sorceress breathed, not seeming to have acknowledged that Effie had spoken. "A curious mind too. Tell me, how much do you know about magic."

"What… what kind of magic."

Laveau smiled.

"Well my speciality is Voodoo."

"Not much, aside from Voodoo dolls and charms. I'm not a big believer in Magic, to be honest."

"Yes, so I see." Marie studied Effie's face intently for a few moments. "Would you like to see me perform, Effie? Just for a little while."

"How did you know my name?"

Marie simply smiled, before turning away and gesturing for Effie to follow her with a finger.

"Come. There is great magic in this place. The tablet is a source of incredible power. You will be most impressed, little one."

* * *

"Voodoo," Marie Laveau told Effie some time later, as they sat cross legged and facing one another in Larry's Night Guard lounge, "is the one of the oldest known religions to mankind. It originated some seven-thousand years ago, and roughly means 'spirit,' or 'mystery.' We accept the existence of a single God, but also of the Loa – spirits who are not too dissimilar to your own Christian Saints."

Marie rustled around in a pouch tied to her waist and pulled out a pair of modern-looking scissors that Effie suspected had been pinched from the lobby, and a package of salt that had evidently been taken from the Museum Café. Effie felt a chill run down her spine – despite her better instinct – as the women placed them on the floor in front of her.

"My particular practice is the Voodoo of New Orleans – where I spent my lifetime, as you might know. We were forced to work underground, and such things were seen as sacrilege, but most knew of us. They were too scared to dispose of us – those who did usually regretted it sooner or later."

She smiled, and Effie swallowed. Whether she believed in it all or not, there was something distinctly unnerving about the woman sat in front of her. Maybe it was the way she spoke – in hushed tones as if telling a great secret.

"This salt, Effie, is for you. Take it and keep it with you at all times." Laveau handed the sachet to Effie, who regarded it suspiciously.

"What does it do?"

"What does it do…?" Marie laughed quietly, as if to some private joke. "It will protect you, child. There are dark forces within this Museum – forces that want to see you hurt."

"Hurt?" Effie repeated doubtfully. "But why?"

"To hurt another."

"Who?"

Marie didn't answer. Instead, she pulled at a lock of Effie's hair quite suddenly and cut it off before she could protest.

"What are you doing!" Effie snapped, pulling backwards. "What was that for?"

"I need it," Marie answered, "to perform the rites to guarantee your protection."

"Well you could have asked, at least."

"You wouldn't have agreed."

Effie said nothing.

"Now, like I said – keep the salt with you. I will know of it if you don't, and that will be regretful." Laveau put the scissors back in her pouch and stood up to leave. Effie jumped to her feet.

"Wait – wont you tell me more about these… 'dark forces' that you think you can feel?"

"You're sceptical, young one. Expected from a person like you."

"Answer the question, please."

"Know only this," Laveau said after a moment of calculated contemplation, and with a strange look in her eye. "Without the adequate protection the forces will ultimately take your life." She started towards the door.

"And the protection… is this salt?" Effie called out – fondling the packet dubiously, but the Voodoo Queen didn't see it fitting to respond.

* * *

**BAM. **

**Well, sorry for the huge gap. My life got in the way. **

**Shoutouts!**

**Tybs23: Yes Marie is significant ;) I just hope that I write her okay. I don't know a lot about Voodoo but I just researched what I could and I hope it's right. **

**Moonstar 11: Ramses is excellent at enjoying himself. *****cough* 100 kids *cough* **** But he was 'great' and so he's allowed to. Ahk… not so great, so we'll see where this all goes ;) **

**Thornedbudx: I want real characters in the story, and how they were really recorded, not made up. That's what I'm trying to do with Ramses. Obviously not a lot about his personality was written, but going by what he recorded of himself… wee bit pretentious/arrogant, I might think. One of my favourite historical figures though, along with his father. **

**Doodlechick12: I love doing shoutouts, and thank you :D**

**LuvDanceGirl: I think most people would be a bit jelous/protective in his position, so yeah – more of that to come :) **

**Pinkxjellybean: XD I love that. I must use that in a insult one day. **

**You know the call – Review so I can do the shoutouts. I find them so amusing and look forward to them so much and I don't know why. Perhaps I am a freak?**

**R-r-r-r-r-age. (lol) **


	16. Clarification aka ITUNES SUCKS ASS

Oh look! She updated!

"I honestly don't know what to think, Nicky. She's a headcase! _Dark forces _that want to kill me – I feel like I'm a part of a bad slasher movie or something."

"You do know that's what the main character always says before she gets killed, right?"

Effie elbowed Nicky lightly in the shoulder. The pair were in the school canteen – the only place they really got to talk seeing as they didn't share many classes – discussing the weird conversation Effie had held with Marie Laveau the night before. Naturally, Effie was convinced that the 'Voodoo Queen' was stuck in her past and probably in shock over her re-awakening, but Nicky wasn't so quick to dismiss her ideas. He looked at stories of the occult and magical happenings in a different light now that he knew about the museum.

"Do you still have that packet of salt on you," he asked, and she patted her pockets.

"Yes – not because I think it's true or anything but because I just wanted it with me. It's evidence, you know?"

"Suuurrre."

"Nick!"

A group of about five of Nicky's friends walked past, nodding their greetings, and Effie noticed that Rachel Monte – her airy blonde acquaintance – was tagging along behind, an instantly felt a pang of guilt over how little she'd talked to her sort-of-friend as of late.

"Hi Effie," she greeted shyly, and Effie patted the seat next to her.

"Hi Rachel. Here, come and sit with us."

"Sorry Effie, but I've already said I'd sit with this lot."

The group moved on.

"Rejection." Nicky taunted, and Effie poked out her tongue.

"Whatever – anyway, back to the task at hand. What do I do about Laveau?"

"I think you should talk to her again," Nick said after a moment of contemplation. "Ask her what she really means about hurting you and stuff."

"I'm not sure if I want to speak to her again, to be honest. It was a strange experience."

"I'll come with you for moral support. We'll do it tonight, okay?"

"Deal."

* * *

Keeping to his promise Nicky stuck by Effie's side as they hunted out the Voodoo Queen at the Museum that night, dodging the ever-enthusiastic crowd of mock-footballers in the lobby and the usual chaos of dancing and fighting. They found her in the corridor near to Ahkmenrah's tomb, leaning against the wall with her eyes closed and her fingers pressed to her forehead with a perplexed expression. The pair shared a glance before approaching.

"Um, hello? Mrs Laveau?" Nicky started nervously, and the Queen's eyes popped open. She gazed a Nick silently for a moment, before her eyes slid over to settle on Effie.

"What can I do for you, children."

"I want to talk to you about the stuff you told me yesterday – about dark forces and evil," Effie started, deciding to go straight to the point.

Marie Laveau laughed quietly and smiled to herself, pushing back off the wall.

"I knew you would. You have a sceptical mind, I have told you that. What would you like to know first?"

"Why me? Why would 'forces' want to hurt me? I haven't ever done anything."

"It is not you who is the prime target, Effie."

"But… then who is?"

"The Pharaoh you are all fond of. Ahkmenrah."

Nicky's eyes grew wide, and Effie looked momentarily nonplussed.

"Again, why? What has he done?"

"A great crime long ago, which has not been forgotten by the victim."

Effie and Nick shared another look, this time one confusion.

"Explain?"

"All I can tell you is this: Your Pharaoh did a great injustice to somebody during his life, somebody with the power to then take away his afterlife. What the victim did not realise was the true potential of the tablet, and so Ahkmenrah was granted another chance at happiness after death. The victim wants to make this as dis-pleasurable as possible in return."

"Where does hurting me come into this?"

"Ahkmenrah has seen an innocent little girl tortured and killed for his actions once before. To see it again would bring back both intensely painful memories and pile the weight of guilt of the deaths upon his back to such a degree it would be unbearable. I am guessing that the girl to be hurt would be you, as you are the only young girl who knows him well enough for your death to have an impact on him. I cannot know for certain, however. I had forgotten about the presence of a second young child…" her gaze shifted back onto Nicky, and he swallowed audibly.

"Pray tell how you became privy to such information, Laveau, considering that you were born a good four-thousand odd years after Ahkmenrah's death and all"

"Little girl, I am a woman of magic. A magic only heightened by the presence of such a powerful device as the tablet. I can see and know what you cannot. That is all I can tell you."

"Why should we believe you."

"Why shouldn't you?"

"Because it all sounds mental, if I'm being honest."

"It matters not whether you believe it or not, children, what matters is your protection."

"Right, and why do you care about us again?"

"I had a little girl once. A little girl exposed to the dangers of magic from a very young age, and it terrified me at times. I may be a Voodoo Queen but I am also a woman and a mother. No young child should be harmed by my craft if they have done no wrong. Is there anything else you want to know?"

"What form are these 'forces' going to be in – if they are going to 'be' at all." The sarcasm was heavy in Effie's tone and Marie noted it with a raised eyebrow.

"A person, child. A person possessed. It could be anybody of the forces' choosing. I already have my suspicions but…"

Laveau left the sentence hanging.

"But?"

"I shall make no accusations until I am certain."

"How did the 'forces' get here?" Nicky piped up for the first time. "If they're from Ahk's past then how are they here now?"

"The same way he is, boy. Via the magic of the tablet. Like I said; it is a powerful device. My guess would be that upon realising its power Ahkmenrah's victim somehow channelled himself through it."

"So they were magical as well, I suppose."

"Great magic existed in those days."

"Did it hell!" Effie spluttered.

"Do you not know your history?"

"I know a fair amount about ancient Egypt, yes. Enough to know that there was no such thing as magic then, either."

"What about the priesthoods?"

"The priesthoods? They may have pretended to possess great divine power to keep up their influence but it didn't really exist, did it. It was all about power and control, really."

"Perhaps for the majority, but not for all."

Effie said nothing, but her expression was one of disbelief.

"I find it remarkable that you can deny what is right before you. How can you refuse the existence of magic when you wax and bodies come to life every night? When you see the glow of the tablet?"

Effie sighed and fell silent for a moment. Her head tilted upwards as she thought. She had given the question of the tablet a lot of time for contemplation in the months that she had known of it's power, and she still didn't have a solid answer. Her conclusion could only be that there wasn't an answer for the moment.

"I stand by the fact that there isn't a magical force at work, Marie," she said after a while, "but I believe there is a scientific explanation. A science that we haven't discovered yet, and know nothing about, but a science nonetheless."

"Couldn't magic be that science?"

Effie didn't have an answer.

"I will leave you, children, to contemplate what I have said. Think carefully and act carefully."

The Voodoo Queen turned her back suddenly and glided down the corridor, leaving Nicky and Effie confused and conflicted in her wake.

* * *

"What do we do, Effie? Do we tell Ahkmenrah or not?"

Nicky and Effie had taken refuge from the noise and chaos of the museum in the worker's lounge, where they could discuss the situation in peace.

"In the unlikely case that Marie Laveau is right and Ahkmenrah is in danger, I would still propose that we don't tell him for now. Part of the worst thing for Ahkmenrah that Laveau mentioned was overbearing guilt of memories, so we don't want to inadvertently remind him of that."

"So who do we tell?"

"Your dad, definitely," Effie said firmly, and Nicky nodded. "It's hard to decide who else because Laveau said that these 'dark forces' would possess anyone if they existed."

"What about Teddy? And Sacajawea? We have always been able to trust them. And Jedediah and Octavius – they're to small to be any real threat."

Effie nodded in agreement.

"How about any of the new exhibits?"

"No," Effie said firmly. "Seeing as they are so new they would be the most likely candidates for possession. We wouldn't know them enough to notice a difference."

"Marie Laveau was the last one to be put on the list," Nick pointed out, and Effie pursed her lips in thought.

"I forgot to ask her about that. About how she managed to get McPhee to put her on there."

"We'll ask tomorrow."

The pair settled into a tense silence.

"Effie, can I ask you something?" Nicky began tentatively.

"Yes, of course."

"If you are so sceptical of this all being real, why are you sat here having this conversation with me? About helping Ahk?"

Effie was silent for a few minutes, chewing on the end of her thumbnail.

"Because," she said after a while, "because Ahkmenrah is a friend, and despite the fact that this whole situation is probably 99.999 percent utter rubbish, I'm not going to risk not doing anything and getting him hurt. Its like if a person were to post an obviously fake and ludicrous threat to George Bush's life his security team would still investigate it even if it weren't likely to be true."

"Okay, I get it. So do you have any ideas as to who the possessed person might be?"

"Not really. I suppose we've got to think about who seems to be going for us and for Ahk the most. It's only been a few days with the new exhibits so we'll have to wait and see and do some brainstorming."

"But first we tell my dad."

"Yes, definitely. Come on – we'll find him now."

* * *

**Bit of a weak ending but what can you do.**

**Yes, I am finally moving it on a little. 16 odd chapters in and I haven't started the story. What a fail I am.**

**Have been spurred into writing a music/book review blog. **

**http:/sophienoteworthy(dot)blogspot(dot)com/**

**See reason below.***

***I am going to have a rant about something very unrelated. Don't feel as if you have to read it, but it will make me feel better.**

**Rant/**

**I really really really hate Itunes.**

**Really.**

**Why? Alright, firstly their song archive is a load of shite. I don't know about the US version specifically if you want anything outside of the top 40 hits or the classic oldies on the UK version, you are stuffed. Either that or your pay twelve odd pounds for an album to be ordered in.**

**Secondly, there is Ping. Ping is that music sharing/social network system they set up so people could supposedly follow all of their favourite bands and get recommendations based off those, as well as talk to people with similar tastes etc etc etc. I signed up, went on, and followed all the bands I liked. Namely, the following.**

**Evanescence. Within Temptation. Nemesea. Emilie Autumn. The Pierces. Crystal Castles. Radiohead. EarlyRise. KoRn. Therion. Leaves' Eyes. Adele. Marina and the Diamonds. Enya. Nightwish. Lacuna Coil. The Bangles. The Buggles. The Beatles. Sirenia. Almora. U2. Coldplay. Travis. Train. Bjork. PJ Harvey. Jack Off Jill. Die Antwoord.**

**More but the list is getting too long.**

**Here are the artists/bands I was 'recommended' supposedly relating to my likes and follows.**

**Rihanna. Justin Beiber. Bruno Mars. Lady Gaga. Katy Perry. Glee Cast. Tinie Tempah. Britney Spears. P!nk. Jason Derulo. Jennifer Lopez. Kesha. Enrique Eglasias. Taio Cruz. Christina Aguileira. Shakira. Kelly Clarkson. Avril Lavigne. Miley Cyrus. Iyaz. Adam Lambert. The Script. Selena Gomez and the Scene. Demi Lovato. Ashley Tisdale. Cheryl Cole. Taylor Swift.**

**MILEY. CYRUS.**

**KATY FUCKING PERRY.**

**It also recommended a bunch of 'friends' who I'd 'get along with.'**

**One of them was called 'twilightfreak_kardashian!:D'**

**Clearly the 'oh so innovative' Ping (A.k.a BULLFUCKINGSHIT-ing) is just another marketing incentive programmed to recommend that users buy from the artists the majority of the young-ping-using-world likes (and some of the most expensive. Hmmmm) and it's only people like myself who don't actually listen to them that notice that it's a load of cows bollocks.**

**Fuck Ping. Fuck ITunes. Pirate Bay all the way.**

**/rant.**

_**Does anybody know of any GENUINE websites for music recommendations and forums relating to your tastes?**_

_**Please?**_

**Review shout out time:**

**Tybs23: Thank you! They are both very stubborn individuals who think quite highly of themselves (in my eyes.) I guess it's all part of being a King. Marie is mysterious, but ultimately very important :) NOOOOOOO I MADE A MISTAKE. CURSE MY LIFE. D: D: D: Thank you for pointing it out though. Feel free to let me know of any more. X.**

**ShiningGalaxy: Ooohh pretty name :D Thank you for reviewing both! Yes he swore :P He can't always come across as an innocent little thing :D X**

**LuvDanceGirl: Tension for the win. X**

**Pinkxjellybean: Ahk will rip into him in the future, rest be assured. It will be hilarious. But bloody. No just funny and maybe a bit humiliating :D X**

**DawnMist: Yes it came across exactly how it was supposed to! X**

**Giving everybody little X's because I'm a top lass.**

**Rage.**


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